Catharina Belgica of Nassau

The child’s portrait in vertical format shows Catharina Belgica of Nassau on a large wooden chair set against a dark background. She is wearing court attire, as was common in the Netherlands in the 16th century: a red dress with a red and white apron and a cap with ruffled decoration. Little Catharina was apparently placed on the chair with an extra seat to elevate her. The latter prop remains concealed under the dress, but allows Catharina’s head to reach the high back of the chair and to just place her small feet on the seat of the large chair. Children’s portraits were decorated with many symbols that were meant to reflect the purity, chastity, loyalty and wealth of the noble family. Catharina Belgica is holding a bouquet of flowers. It is presumed that this picture was painted as a commission. The commissioning patron was probably Catharina von Schwarzburg-Arnstadt, who was Catharina Belgica’s godmother. It was painted for the Renaissance castle of Neideck in Arnstadt in Thuringia. The series of pictures came into the possession of Catherina Belgica, depicted here, through inheritance.