PORTRAIT OF BEATRICE D'ESTE OIL ON PANEL- STUDIO OF MIGUEL CANALS (SPANISH, 1925-1995)
Sixteenth century style portrait of Beatrice d'Este. A mid 20th-century copy, unsigned, finely executed oil on panel, from the studio of Miguel Canals (Spanish, 1925-1995), in an ornately carved frame with hand-painted gilt decorations, stencilled 'Studio M. Canals' verso, panel: 39 x 31 cm, frame: 67 x 58 cm. After the late 15th century Lombard School portrait attributed in the 17th century by Cardinal Federico Borromeo to Leonard da Vinci who painted for the court of the Duke of Milan, Ludovico Sforza, husband to Beatrice d'Este. Condition: VERY GOOD.
Notes: This wonderful profile portrait of the young Beatrice d'Este is often described as "After Ambrogio De Predis (c. 1455–1520) After Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519)." It has been suggested this portrait was done to provide the lady's likeness to her betrothed husband, Ludovico Sforza of Milan (known as "il Moro"). It has been copied countless times and is known through a color mezzotint by Samuel Arlent-Edwards (British American, 1862–1938), one copy being in the Philadelphia Museum of Art. The Metropolitan Museum of Art also owns the Arlent-Edwards mezzotint, but their description casts doubt on the original attribution to Leonardo and even the identity of the sitter.
