We do not have many contemporary portraits of Juana of Castile. Those that do survive are stylized, often stiff depictions which are typical of the era and lacking the realism we see in later 16th century art. We also have 19th century interpretations, most notably by the romantic painter Francisco de Pradilla, whose gorgeous, haunting imaginings of Juana at her most dramatic cemented her popular image as the bereaved, mad queen. This gallery presents some of these images, both from her lifetime and from the legend that arose around her after her death.
Juana in her early youth, an authentic portrait with a modern day background.The surrender of Granada, as imagined by the romantic 19th century painter, Francisco de PradillaQueen Isabel of Castile, Juana's mother, in her later years.Fernando of Aragon, Juana's father. Probably painted from life.Juana's youngest sister, Catherine of Aragon.Philip of Habsburg, known as Philip the Fair or the Handsome; he wears the Imperial Order of the Golden Fleece.Juana, as Archduchess of Burgundy. A miniature from the era that may have been owned by one of her children.Juana and Philip; a folding image that was probably part of a Flemish altar piece.Folding portrait montage of Charles V as a boy and two of his sisters, probably Leonora (Eleanor) and Isabel.Juana's eldest son, the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V of Germany and I of Spain.Juana's oldest daughter, Leonora (Eleanor), painted during her time as queen of France.Juana's daughter, Maria (Mary), in her youth.Juana's youngest daughter, Catalina or Catherine, in her middle age.Contemporary document celebrating Juana, Philip and their six children.Juana as the demented queen, painted by Pradilla. Philip lies dead behind the curtain; this image was part of the cult surrounding Juana as an operatically unbalanced figure.Cisneros inciting the nobles against Juana, a later day depiction.Perhaps the most famous depiction of Juana by Pradilla; now hanging in the Prado in Madrid, it cemented her popular image as the bereaved widowed queen.Pradilla's imagining of Juana in captivity in Tordesillas; the child with her is young Catalina.
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Copyright 2009 C.W. Gortner