Pieter de Jode II (Antwerp, 1606 - about 1674, England)
Isabella of Portugal, 17th century
Engraving, 16.5 x 13 cm (6 1/2 x 5 1/8 in.)
Isabella sits with her right hand resting on a cloth covered table and her left hand holding a bouquet of flowers in her lap. Her dark gown has cut-work down the length of her sleeves, around her shoulders and at the top of the high neck revealing tufts of white under-dress. A sash gathered at her waist falls over the lap of her skirt. A rhombus-shaped pendant hangs at her breast with three strands of jewels dangling at its bottom. Her delicate face is framed by a pair of drop earrings, and her wavy hair is topped with several small braids held together at the top of her head with a jeweled clasp. She sits against a floral patterned wall and over her right shoulder is the bottom corner of a window with a wide ledge. Upon the ledge sits her crown, bedecked with jewels, scrollwork, and a small cross at its apex. An arch with squared edges spans the top of the engraving and an inscription at the bottom identifies Isabella.
Yellow Room
Commentary
Isabella Stewart Gardner kept meticulous records of many of her acquisitions. In keeping with this legacy, object information is continually being reviewed, updated, and enriched in order to give greater access to the collection.