Portrait of Charlotte-Marguerite de Montmorency, Princess of Condé

This portrait was probably made while the Princess of Condé was in Brussels after her wedding around 1609. Rubens, had recently returned from Italy and would go on to be the quintessential Baroque artist of the Counter-Reformation period. Historical anecdote tells us that while the Princess appears rather pale and overwhelmed by her costume, she was considered a beauty, and had fled to Brussels after her marriage to escape the advances of King Henri IV. A highlight of this sumptuous portrait is Rubens’ gorgeously painted luminous skin.