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Portrait of Eleanor of Aragon

Portrait of Eleanor of Aragon is a marble sculpture, 50 cm high, created by Francesco Laurana around 1468. It is preserved in the Regional Gallery of Palazzo Abatellis in Palermo. Since 27 June 2013, it has been part of the Immovable Heritage of the Sicilian Region. The work presents a refined female bust, cut at the chest, with shoulders included. Its smooth, rarefied beauty and geometric purity recall the models of Piero della Francesca and Antonello da Messina. The hair is gathered under a veil that covers the ears and gives the head a more polished appearance.

Profile bust portrait of Eleanor of Aragon, facing right.
Portrait of Eleanor of Aragon shown as a sculptural bust in profile.
© Laurana, Francesco (Italian sculptor and medalist, c. 1420-before 1502) (artist) · Public domain
Portrait of Eleanor of Aragon, a light stone bust shown in profile facing right with a covered head
Portrait of Eleanor of Aragon shown as a light stone bust in profile.
July 2023 © · CC BY-SA 4.0
Portrait of Eleanor of Aragon, a light-toned bust of a woman displayed on a tall dark pedestal.
Portrait of Eleanor of Aragon shown as a light-toned bust on a dark pedestal.
© · CC BY-SA 4.0
Bust of Eleanor of Aragon on a tall pedestal in a dim interior.
Portrait of Eleanor of Aragon displayed on a tall pedestal inside a museum gallery.
© · CC BY-SA 4.0
Portrait of Eleanor of Aragon, a pale bust on a slender dark stand against a dark wall.
Portrait of Eleanor of Aragon displayed on a slender stand inside the museum.
© · CC BY-SA 4.0

Identification

TitlePortrait of Eleanor of Aragon
Original titleRitratto di Eleonora d'Aragona
TypeMarble portrait bust
SubjectEleanor of Aragon, Countess of Caltabellotta

Creator

ArtistFrancesco Laurana

Historical context

DateProbably the late 1460s
CommissionerCarlo Luna, lord of Sciacca and Caltabellotta, a descendant of the countess
Working contextLaurana was working between Sciacca and Partanna at the time

Discovery and provenance

OriginFrom the tomb of Eleanor of Aragon
Original tomb locationAbbey of Santa Maria del Bosco in Calatamauro
AttributionAttributed to Laurana by Antonino Salinas, director of the National Museum of Palermo, at the beginning of an unspecified century
SeriesOne of a series of female busts by Laurana
Related worksThe Louvre's Bust of a Princess is very similar; other similar busts are at Castello di Federico II in Giuliana and Palazzo Abatellis

Physical characteristics

CompositionBust including the shoulders, cut off at chest height
Height50 cm

Materials

MaterialMarble

Appearance

FormPure forms with geometric synthesis
Facial treatmentHighly refined, rarefied beauty
IdealizationThe physiognomic features are transformed through idealization into sophisticatedly pure forms
Hair treatmentHair gathered under a veil
Veil effectThe veil covers the ears and gives the head a smoother, more rounded and refined appearance
StyleSmooth and slender beauty

Artistic references

InfluencesRecalls the models of Piero della Francesca and Antonello da Messina

Iconography and meaning

Type of portraitPosthumous portrait
Depicted death date1405
Time after deathAbout fifty years after her death

Location and ownership

Current locationRegional Gallery of Palazzo Abatellis, Palermo
StatusPart of the Beni Inamovibili of the Regione Siciliana since 27 June 2013

Other

Image filesEleonora d'aragona.jpg; Eleonora d'aragona 2.jpg