Overview

The women whose lives and artistic patronage are explored in this volume provide a rich and representative sample of the diverse models of female authority in some of the most prominent early modern European courts. The collection offers a wide-ranging analysis of the intricate relationship between art and power, and the special relationships women in power forged with certain artists, which often transcended the practical and economic aspects of patronage. From sovereigns such as Elizabeth I and Isabel Clara Eugenia, to consorts such as Claude de France or Leonor de Toledo, and governors and regents such as Mary of Hungary and Catherine of Austria, these female patrons used their patronage not only to craft their own identities as powerful, political figures, but also to launch major artistic projects that went beyond the aesthetic considerations, addressing critical political, dynastic, spiritual, and representational concerns and often having a decisive impact on the artists' careers. These studies demonstrate that women's art patronage of painters, sculptors or architects was not merely a question of mutual support, but also a dynamic force that influenced identity and power, and left an important and enduring imprint on European history.

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9782503618791

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