Empress Isabella

Somewhat larger than life-sized, this statue of Isabella of Portugal (1503-1539) was made after her death. The empress wears an embroidered dress, following the guidelines of the bronze statue made earlier by Leone Leoni, the artist´s father. Nevertheless, his son Pompeo approaches the present work with less interest in the details. Besides a paternal influence, this work is clearly related to the portrait of Isabella made by Titian, as well as the bronze images on the tomb of Emperor Maximilian I at Innsbruck.

Signed and dated 1572. Inscription: DIVA ISABELLA AUGUSTA CAROLI V IMPERATORIS [The Divine and August Isabel (wife) of Emperor Charles V].