Portrait of the Princess of Naples

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Among the renowned sculptors who crafted the Castel Nuovo arch was Francesco Laurana, a master artist with a team of skilled assistants at his side. He is particularly celebrated for a series of breathtaking busts of women, many of which were commissioned by the court in Naples. These portraits stand out as some of the most captivating and enigmatic images of the Renaissance era. Scholars continue to debate the number and authenticity of Laurana's creations, with uncertainties surrounding which ones he actually carved. The identities of the subjects themselves are also a topic of heated discussion. Only two women are directly named on their respective inscriptions: Beatrice of Aragon and Battista Sforza, whose portraits bear striking similarities. Beatrice was the daughter of Ferdinand (Ferrante), who succeeded Alfonso as the king of Naples. It is likely that her portrait was created around the time of her marriage to Matthias Corvinus, the Hungarian king, in 1476. Like all of Laurana's female portraits, Beatrice's image is characterized by an extreme idealization, bordering on abstraction. Her serene remoteness is accentuated by her lowered eyes, delicate features, and the smoothness of the carved surfaces. This level of refinement, which prioritizes elegance over individuality, makes it extremely challenging to identify unnamed subjects. Laurana also created male portraits, though significantly fewer in number. Interestingly, these male portraits are highly distinctive and nuanced. In contrast, the flawless perfection of his female subjects reflects a Renaissance ideal that equated beauty with virtue (see Picturing Family and Friends). Originally, this bust would have featured vibrant colors on the hair and dress. Many Renaissance marble sculptures were painted, but remarkably few retain even faint traces of pigment.