Wax relief portrait of Barbara, Duchcss of Ferrara

These wax portraits of Duke Alfonso II d’Este of Ferrara (1533–1597) and his wife Archduchess Barbara Habsburg, are remarkable for their material, masterly technique and artistic expression as well as for their subjects. They are the earliest wax sculptures by Antonio Abondio (1538–1591), imperial and court medalmaker. Among his other surviving wax portraits are those of Emperor Maximilian II (1564–1576) (c. 1575, Vienna, Kunsthistorisches Museum) and Cardinal Scipio Gonzaga (1542–1593) (1571, also in the Museum of Applied Arts). These are autonomous works of arts, and not models for medal portraits. The artist made full use of the material’s versatility to produce very subtle, tiny details, particularly in the elaboration of the faces, hair, beard, clothes and jewels, and he achieved painting-like effects with the colouration. Royal and aristocratic Kunstkammers often contained such little wax portraits 55 among other art works of unusual materials. Duke Alfonso II of Ferrara was an outstanding orator and general, and a major patron of the arts. He took great care to keep up links with related dynasties, particularly the Habsburgs. His second wife, Archduchess Barbara (†1572), was the eighth daughter of Emperor Ferdinand I Habsburg (1558–1564). The wax portraits were probably made for their engagement, in Vienna in 1565. The Late Renaissance medal engraver (medailleur), Abondio served Emperors Maximilian II and Rudolf II (1576–1612), and also made a major contribution to art in Hungary. He produced a series of fine medallion portraits for the imperial family, notables of the Viennese court, and other officials of the Holy Roman Empire and great scholars of the time. His Hungarian patrons included Archbishop Antal Verancsics of Esztergom (1504–1573) and the Hungarian commander-in-chief, Lázár Schwendi. He also had links with mints in Körmöc (today Kremnica, Slovakia), Nagybánya (today Baia Mare, Romania) and Kassa (today Košice, Slovakia).