Lot 21: Property of various owners

A portrait of Cardinal-Infante Ferdinand of Austria
oil on canvas
32 3/4 x 24 3/4in (83.2 x 62.8cm)

There is an indistinct inscription verso which reads: 'Ferdinando d' Austria figlio del cattolico Filippo III e [...] Margerita d’ Austria nacque l’anno 1609 ai 16 Marzo fu’ promolio alla Po[.]pove il X anno delle [..] sua [..] Pontefice Paolo v. assegnar degli il titolo Giaconale di S. Maria in portico questo all’ultimo di sua vita che sueasse l’anno 1641, e fu’ chiamato il Cardinale Infante'

Son of the King of Spain, Philip III and Margaret of Austria, Ferdinand was born at the Escorial near Madrid in 1609. An ecclesiastical career was planned for him by his father and he was elevated to the Primacy of Spain, becoming the Archbishop of Toledo in 1619 and shortly afterwards created Cardinal of the Holy Roman Church.