ITALY OR FRANCE, 18TH CENTURY

This portrait of Caterina Cornaro as Saint Catherine of Alexandria is based on an original by Titian, now in the Uffizi Gallery in Florence (https://www.virtualuffizi.com/portrait-of-caterina-coronaro-as-saint-catherine-of-alexandria.html). The wheel, depicted in part behind the sitter here was one of the attributes of St. Catherine. Caterina Cornaro was the last monarch of the Kingdom of Cyprus (r.1474-89). In 1489, Caterina was forced to abdicate and cede her rights as ruler to the Doge of Venice. Caterina Coranaro is depicted here wearing an elegant coat that appears to be made of Turkish silk. Venice at the time was at the crossroads of east and west and textiles are known to have been traded between the two nations. It is unsurprising therefore that she is depicted wearing a coat that would have been at the height of luxury.

Dated 1542, Titian’s portrait was a one of a number of paintings done of Caterina Cornaro – Dürer, Bellini and Giorgione are all also known to have painted her. The subject was also well known and copied by later artists. A near identical portrait to that offered here, but catalogued as Hürrem Sultan recently sold at Sotheby’s, 25 October 2017, lot 134. This painting has often been referred to as Hürrem Sultan or Roxelana, as she is sometimes known, and there are probably old engravings where it is described as such. Part of the confusion is caused by the resemblance between Titian’s Caterina Cornaro portrait and one by him of Hürrem Sultan, now in the Ringling Museum.