royal portraits Archives

The best-known image of Eleanor of Toledo is also one of the most beautiful dresses in art history. Don’t be too distracted by the beauty of the...

The Medici Family. For most, these three words conjure up images of Cosimo de’ Medici, Lorenzo de’ Medici, or the many artists and artworks...

Guest Profile 30 June 2022

Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun and women in her portraits should be a reference for every art-lover. The French painter – also known as Madame Le Brun...

Pola Otterstein 18 June 2022

To a 21st century viewer, the portrait of Gabrielle d’Estrées might seem homo-erotic. However, pictured with her sister, the Duchess of Villars,...

Anna Ingram 14 June 2022

The early medieval church of San Vitale in Ravenna, Italy, is most famous for its spectacular mosaics. In a city full of rich, Byzantine-style...

Alexandra Kiely 28 May 2022

Shakespeare once wrote, “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” For monarchs...

Abreeza Thomas 7 May 2022

I’m sure you’re well acquainted with European royal portraiture. But have you ever seen portraits of rulers from beyond Europe? We want...

Thérèse Schwartze (1851–1918) grew up in an artistic family from Amsterdam. Her father Johann Georg Schwartze was a painter and he introduced his...

Europeana 28 April 2022

Royal portraiture is a centuries old tradition, but it might be called the forerunner of the posed selfie – an artfully curated image which is...

Candy Bedworth 21 April 2022

Follow us on a short historical tour of thriving royal women across Europe who enjoyed power and success on their own terms. How we measure royal...

Candy Bedworth 21 April 2022

Catherine the Great (1729-1796) ruled almost the entire second half of the 18th century. Her reign was very successful on the world arena and gave...

A rollicking adventure through the lives of great leaders and queens from ancient times. Famous female leaders are a fascinating bunch. Here at...

#royal portraits