Frans Pourbus the Younger Archduke Albert VII of Austria

Frans Pourbus the Younger, Archduke Albert VII of Austria, c.1600-1605, oil on card, 3 1/8 x 3 1/2 in.
Frans Pourbus the Younger, Archduke Albert VII of Austria, c.1600-1605, oil on card, 3 1/8 x 3 1/2 in.

Who is this man seated before you? Perhaps he is an ex-cardinal of the Catholic Church or maybe a successful military commander.Could he be a noble viceroy to a kingdom and its empire or the fifth son waiting for his chance to rule? Archduke Albert VII of Austria was a man with many “hobbies”. Serving in the all the roles above, the Archduke with his wife, Infanta Isabella Clara Eugenia ruled a sovereign area of the Habsburg Netherlands from 1619-1622 known today as, Austria.

Noticeably the smallest work in the exhibition, it definitely does not lack dedication to detail. Frans Pourbus the Younger (1569-1622), a Flemish artist, captures every aspect of the Archduke from his rosy cheeks and heavy-lidded eyes to his extravagant armor and intricate lace ruff. Pourbus came from a family of achieved artists, particularly his father and grandfather. Throughout his life, royal and prominent families primarily commissioned Frans Pourbus the Younger for state portraits during the start of the 17th century because of his noted depiction of costume and jewelry.

 

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By Chloe Fraser