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Abstract
Some of the National Museums of Portugal keep in their collections representations of Catherine of Braganza (1638–1705), which are under the supervision of the Directorate General of Cultural Heritage (DGPC). By analysing the different types of support used, ranging from canvas to ceramics, paper and metal, we can outline the way in which the image of the queen of England was constructed from her early days to her maturity. In this article the aim is not only to trace the evolution of her iconography, but also to present the most recent developments in relation to the portrait of Catherine of Braganza on the basis of comparative analysis and original evidence from archival research.
Notes
1 The author wishes to thank Dr Mercedes Llorente for the invitation, as well as for all her efforts to make this publication possible. I am also grateful to Drs Celina Bastos, Cristina Neiva Correia, Eduardo Puerto Mendoza, Hugo Xavier, João Magalhães, José Alberto Ribeiro and Pedro Flor.
2 Issues regarding the Queen’s iconography were deeply analysed in Susana Varela Flor, ‘Queen Catherine, a Bragança in Seventeenth-Century London — Cultural Legacy, Identity and Political “Individuality”’, in Jeremy Roe and Jean Andrews (eds), Representing Women’s Political Identity in the Early Modern Iberian World (London and New York, 2021), pp. 293-319, and are deliberately not discussed in the present text.
3 For more information on the Directorate-General for Cultural Heritage, please consult the following address: (http://www.patrimoniocultural.gov.pt/pt/).
4 Miguel Soromenho and Nuno Vassalo e Silva, ‘Salvaguarda do Património Antecedentes Históricos: Da Idade Média ao século XVII’, in Maria Eduarda Leal Coelho (ed.), Dar Futuro ao Passado — Catálogo da Exposição (Lisbon,1993), pp. 22-32, p. 28.
5 Francisco António Lourenço Vaz, ‘O impacto do Saque de Évora no Património Bibliográfico e Artístico da Cidade’, in Francisco Martins and Francisco Vaz (eds), O ‘saque de Évora’ no contexto da Guerra Peninsular — memória, história e património (Évora, 2010), pp. 163-77. The original name of the task force is ‘Junta do Exame do Estado atual e Melhoramento Temporal das Ordens Regulares’.
6 Madalena Costa Lima, ‘Conceitos e atitudes de intervenção arquitectónica em Portugal (1755–1834)’, Ph.D. dissertation, University of Lisbon (2013), p. 226.
7 The departure of the Portuguese royal family to Brazil (1807) and, with them, a part of the royal library and a considering number of other artistic objects, is also worth mentioning.
8 Francisco António Lourenço Vaz, Márcia Ferreira Oliveira and Patrícia Monteiro, Os livros e as Bibliotecas no espólio de D. Frei Manuel do Cenáculo — repertório de correspondência, róis de livros e doações a bibliotecas (Lisbon, 2009), p. 378.
9 Clara Moura Soares and Rute Massano Rodrigues, ‘O Restauro das Pinturas Conventuais à guarda da Biblioteca Nacional (1835–1913) — contributos para a História da Conservação e Restauro’, Artison: O Património Artístico das Ordens Religiosas: entre o Liberalismo e a actualidade 3 (2016), pp. 224-35.
10 Clara Moura Soares et al., ‘Conservação e destruição de pinturas dos conventos extintos em Portugal durante o século XIX’, Estudos de Conservação e Restauro 4 (2012), pp. 231-48, p. 233.
11 Alice Nogueira Alves, ‘Os Restauradores da Colecção de Pintura da Academia Real de Belas-Artes de Lisboa proveniente dos Conventos Extintos’, Artison: O Património Artístico das Ordens Religiosas: entre o Liberalismo e a actualidade 3 (2016), pp. 236-44.
12 Túlio Espanca, ‘Espólio Artístico do Cenáculo’, A Cidade de Évora 37 (1955), pp. 227-65; José Alberto Gomes Machado, Um coleccionador português do século das Luzes. D. Frei Manuel do Cenáculo Vilas-Boas, Arcebispo de Évora (Évora, 1987).
13 Jorge Custódio, ‘Museus de Educação, Museus de Curiosidade e Museus de especialidade no tempo da Iª República: política institucional e experiências museográficas’, in Ana Paula Tudela and Maria Helena Trindade (eds), A República, os Museus e o Património, Ciclo de conferências (Coimbra, 2011), p. 23.
14 Theresa M. Schedel de Castello Branco, Vida de Francisco Mello e Torres Conde da Ponte — Marquês de Sande Soldado e Diplomata da Restauração 1620–1667 (Lisbon, 1971).
15 Susana Varela Flor, Aurum Regina or Queen-Gold — Retratos de D. Catarina de Bragança entre Portugal e a Inglaterra de Seiscentos (Caxias, 2012).
16 Arthur Bryant (ed.), The Letters, Speeches and Declarations of King Charles II (London, 1968), pp. 126-127.
17 Espanca, ‘Espólio Artístico do Cenáculo’, p. 243. Information taken from the matrixnet, where the image can be consulted. D. Catarina de Bragança, Inv. ME 1443, oil on canvas (H. 123xL 102 cm).
18 Reynaldo dos Santos, Personagens Portuguesas do século XVII — exposição de arte e iconografia (Lisboa, 1942), p. 10; Reynaldo dos Santos, ‘A Pintura Portuguesa do Século XVII’, in João Barreira (ed.), Arte Portuguesa (Lisboa, 1951), pp. 289-340, p. 305.
19 Ritratto di Caterina di Braganza infanta di Portogallo, c. 1658; Owner Stato Museo di Palazzo Reale, Turin, (0100200979) oil on canvas (H. 123xL 102 cm). This painting was first made known by Joaquim de Oliveira Caetano who then considered it to be of the Infanta Isabel Josefa, daughter of Pedro II and Maria Francisca of Savoy, painted, according to tradition, in 1676 by Josefa de Óbidos. See Joaquim de Oliveira Caetano, ‘Josefa de Ayala: um sinuoso percurso de conhecimento’, in Anísio Franco et al. (eds), Josefa de Óbidos e a invenção do Barroco Português (Lisbon, 2015), p. 52.
20 Ritratto di Caterina di Braganza, c. 1655, Proprietà Stato Castello di Racconigi (0100398868).
21 Edgar Prestage, Frei Domingos do Rosário, diplomata e político (1595–1662) (Coimbra, 1926), p. 64.
22 Visconde de Santarém, Quadro Elementar das Relações Diplomáticas de Portugal com as diversas potências do Mundo desde o Principio da Monarchia Portuguesa até aos nossos dias, Tomo IV, Parte Iª, (Paris, 1843), p. XXXVI.
23 J. Valfrey, Recueil des Instructions donnés aux ambassadoures et Ministres de France depíus les Traités de Westephalie jusqe’a Révolution Française (Paris, 1886), vol. III, pp. 11-25.
24 Caetano Beirão, ‘As negociações para o casamento da Infanta D. Catarina com Carlos II de Inglaterra’, Anais da Academia Portuguesa de História — ciclo da Restauração de Portugal (Lisbon, 1942), vol. VIII, p. 469.
25 Vítor Serrão, A Pintura Protobarroca em Portugal 1612–1657: o Triunfo do Naturalismo e do Tenebrismo (Lisbon, 2000), p. 15.
26 Vergílio Correia, ‘Obras’, Acta Universitatis Conimbrigensis por ordem da Universidade 1 (1946), p. 187; Serrão, A Pintura Protobarroca, pp. 416-17.
27 For a view of the painting consult: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/437046
29 D. Catarina de Bragança (?),oil on canvas, Museu Nacional dos Coches, Inv. nr HD 0004 (163×134 cm).
30 Luciano Freire, ed., Museu Nacional dos Côches: Catálogo descriptive e ilustrado (Lisbon, 1928), pp. 65-66.
31 Castelo Branco Chaves, ed., Manuel Teixeira Gomes. Correspondência: cartas para políticos e diplomatas (Lisbon, 1960), p. 72.
32 João Miguel dos Santos Simões, Carreaux Céramiques hollandais au Portugal et en Espagne (The Hague, 1959), pp. 36-37.
33 Allen B. Hinds (ed.), Calendar of SP and Mss Relating to English Affairs Existing in the Archives and Collections of Venice, and in Other Libraries of Northern Italy 1661–1664 (London, 1932), vol. XXXIII, p. 18.
34 David Piper, Catalogue of Seventeenth-century Portraits in the National Gallery 1625–1714 (Cambridge, 1963), p. 57.
35 Flor, ‘Queen Catherine’.
36 Bryant (ed.), Letters, Speeches and Declarations, pp. 126-27.
37 See the image at: http://www.matriznet.dgpc.pt/MatrizNet/Objectos/ObjectosConsultar.aspx?IdReg=985160 D. Catarina de Bragança, Inv. nr PD0418.
38 George Robert de Champalimaud Duff was born in 1911 in the parish of S. Mamede in Lisbon. His parents were Edward Robert Duff and Júlia Salvado Duff. He graduated from the Faculty of Letters of the University of Lisbon. In 1943 he was a state employee, but his professional activity was focused on the field of antiques, in which he was an active negotiator, travelling extensively abroad, particularly to England. The start of this activity was probably due to the influence of Ricardo Ribeiro do Espírito Santo Silva (1900–55), who, in 1953, created the Museum of Decorative Arts in Lisbon. Duff's activity was carried on from his house in Estoril and from his partnership with António Campos, owner of Casa Antiquália in Largo Camões in Lisbon (Iolanda Cristina Barreira Pereira, ‘Portugal e a questão dos Bens culturais deslocados durante a IIª Guerra Mundial: Conjunturas, factos, protagonistas e o estado actual da arte’, MA thesis, University of Lisbon (2014), p. 87). Like many merchants of the time, he was a benefactor of the Museu do Caramulo Abel Lacerda, offering Egyptian pieces, medieval sculpture, ceramics, Luso-oriental furniture, etc. Duff died on 19th July 1972. The author thanks the relatives of Maria Augusta Ferreira for the biographical information.
39 Catherine Macleod, ‘“Good, but not like”: Peter Lely, Portrait Practice and the creation of a court look’, in Catherine Macleod and Julia Marciari Alexander (eds), Painted Ladies — Women at the Court of Charles II (London, 2001), pp. 50-61, p. 57.
40 Oliver Millar, Pictures in the Royal Collection — Tudor, Stuart and early Georgian Pictures (2 vols, London, 1963), p. 120; Oliver Millar, Sir Peter Lely (1618–1680) (London, 1978), p. 57.
41 George Kubler (ed.), The Art of Painting by Félix da Costa (New Haven and London, 1967), pp. 103-103v.
42 Diana Dethloff, ‘Portraiture and Concepts of Beauty in Restoration Painting’, in Macleod and Alexander (eds), Painted Ladies — Women at the Court of Charles II, pp. 24-35, p. 30.
43 Ajuda Library Lisbon, Ms. 51-VI-20.
44 D. Catarina de Bragança, silver; Grão Vasco National Museum (Viseu), inv. no. 3859,, diameter 3,5 cm. See http://www.matrizpix.dgpc.pt/matrizpix/Fotografias/FotografiasConsultar.aspx?TIPOPESQ=4&NUMPAG=1®PAG=50&CRITERIO=&TERMOS=&PROPRIETARIO=12&TITULO=catarina&IDFOTO=129226
45 Artur Lamas, ‘Medalhas dedicadas à Infanta D. Catharina de Bragança, Rainha de Inglaterra existente na colecção organizada por José Lamas’, Archivo Archeologo Português (1906), p. 8. In 1953, Carlos Ary dos Santos would add more rare specimens to this corpus in Portugal, which once belonged to the collection of King Luís I and were later transferred to the Museum-Library of the Ducal Palace of Vila Viçosa. Carlos Ary dos Santos, ‘Medalhas dedicadas a D. Catarina de Bragança Rainha de Inglaterra’, Instituto 116 (1953), pp. 1-25.
46 Catherine MacLeod, ‘Charles II and Catherine of Braganza — George Bower’, in Macleod and Alexander (eds), Painted Ladies, p. 87.
47 Lamas, ‘Medalhas dedicadas à Infanta D. Catharina’, p. 13.
48 Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga, inv. nr 5445 CER (H. 5 cm, diameter 32,7 cm). The dish was bought in 1931 from the third count of Moser, Eduardo Hofacker de Moser (1894–1968). See the image at: http://www.matrizpix.dgpc.pt/MatrizPix/Fotografias/FotografiasConsultar.aspx?TIPOPESQ=2&NUMPAG=12®PAG=50&CRITERIO=Catarina±Bragança&IDFOTO=94109
49 Biblioteca Nacional de Portugal, http://purl.pt/11826.
50 See Victoria & Albert collection: https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O21068/dish-brislington-pottery/.
51 In this example, the Queen is wearing a tall black hat, similar to the one worn by the King when wearing the robes of the Order of the Garter.
52 W.S. Lewis (ed.), Horace Walpole’s Correspondence with The Countess of Upper Ossory II (Oxford, 1965), vol. XLII, p. 22.
53 See http://www.matrizpix.dgpc.pt/MatrizPix/Fotografias/FotografiasConsultar.aspx?TIPOPESQ=2&NUMPAG=1®PAG=50&CRITERIO=Catarina±Bragança&IDFOTO=124243, D. Catarina de Bragança, Inv. No. 64100 DIG, oil on canvas 108×124 cm.
54 Katharine Gibson, ‘“Best Belov’d of Kings”. The Iconography of King Charles II’, Ph.D. dissertation, Courtauld Institute, University of London (1997), p. 124; Carol Gibson-Wood, ‘Maecellus Laroon, John Baptist Gaspars and the Portraits of Charles II for Christ’s Hospital’, The Burlington Magazine (July 2003), pp. 505-9, pp. 503-5.
55 Information about the institution can be found at the following address: http://www.paintershall.co.uk/.
56 See the image at: http://www.matriznet.dgpc.pt/MatrizNet/Objectos/ObjectosConsultar.aspx?IdReg=1006424, D. Catarina de Bragança, Inv. Nr PNS3645. The medal was a private donation to the Museu Grão Vasco.
57 Espanca, ‘Espólio Artístico do Cenáculo’, p. 259).
58 See the image at http://www.matriznet.dgpc.pt/MatrizNet/Objectos/ObjectosConsultar.aspx?IdReg=13661, D. Catarina de Bragança, Inv. Nr ME1534.
59 Vaz et al., Os livros e as Bibliotecas no espólio de D. Frei Manuel do Cenáculo, p. 343.
60 Katharine Gibson, ‘Queen Catherine of Braganza’, The Queen’s Royal Surrey Regiment Association — Newsletter 55 (1994), p.8.
62 Susana Varela Flor, ‘Le Peintre français Jean Nocret (1617–1672) au Portugal: le récit (in)achevé d’un voyage’, in David García Cueto (ed.), Las copias de obras maestras de la pintura em las coleciones de los Austrias y el Museo del Prado (Madrid, 2021), pp. 138-47.
63 Biblioteca Nacional de Portugal, E 46/cx. 48, Pasta 4, 12v: Objectos de arte existentes na Embaixada de Londres pertencentes a Manuel Teixeira Gomes Espólio Teixeira Gomes. Reservados da Biblioteca Nacional de Portugal (1915).
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Notes on contributors
Susana Varela Flor
Susana Varela Flor is a full-time researcher at the Instituto de História da Arte / NOVA-FCSH, funded by national funds through the FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P., under the Norma Transitória – [DL 57/2016/CP1453/CT0032] and collaborator with the Laboratory HERCULES at the Universidade de Évora. She received her PhD in History, with a specialty in Art, Heritage and Restoration from the Faculdade de Letras da Universidade de Lisboa (2010). Her dissertation was: ‘“Aurum Reginae or Queen-Gold”: The iconography of Catherine of Braganza’. She was coordinator for the Rede Temática em Estudos de Azulejaria e Cerâmica at the National Museum of Tiles between 2006 and 2012, and coordinator of the project: “DigiTile Library: Tiles and Ceramic online” (PTDC/EAT-EAT/117315/2010), funded by Portuguese National Funds, from 2012 to 2015.
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