Bronzino’s portrait of Eleanor of Toledo (Eleonora di Toledo) was painted soon after her marriage to Duke Cosimo I de’ Medici in 1539. This artwork, one of the most precious in the collections of the National Gallery in
Prague, is notable not only for the charm of the woman portrayed and the well-known name of the artist, the court painter of the Medici family, but also for the story behind the work.
Duchess Eleanor is portrayed
wearing an expensive dress, probably the one she wore when she first arrived in Florence after her wedding. Her right hand is atypically adorned with two rings, which are only seen in this portrait and its copy. Although
the viewer’s attention may first focus on the large diamond engagement ring, the less conspicuous one on Eleanor’s ring finger tells the attentive viewer much more about her life.
The detail of the ring on the
portrait’s edge depicts two cornucopia, clasped hands and a small bird – a lapwing. The hands as a symbol of marital faithfulness and fertility speak of the very happy marriage of Eleanor and Cosimo – a rare sight in
the period. The lapwing, pavoncella in Italian, was a personal impresa, or emblem, which the Count de’ Medici chose for his wife after their wedding and which also coincides with the colour of her dress. The finding
of this ring in the Medici family tomb in the 19th century corroborated the close relationship between the couple and Bronzino, which made it possible for the artist to depict such important personal details of Eleanor’s
life. Today, the ring is displayed in the Palazzo Pitti in Florence, Italy.
百度翻译：http://fanyi.baidu.com
