Peter Paul Rubens (1577–1640),Portrait of Ana Dorotea (1612–1694), an Illegitimate Daughter of Emperor Rudolf II as a Nun at the Convent of the Descalzas Reales, Madrid, c. 1628, Oil on canvas, 73 x 65.4 cm, The Wellington Collection, Apsley House, London, on loan from The English Heritage
This portrait was commissioned from Rubens during his visit to Madrid in 1628 by the daughter of Philip II, Infanta Isabella Clara Eugenia, the Governor of the Spanish Netherlands. Ana Dorotea is depicted wearing the habit of the Colettine Poor Clares, following her solemn vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience in 1628 at the age of sixteen. She remained in the convent of Las Descalzas Reales until she died in 1694 at the age of 82. Although presented as a religious move, this decision also served to extricate her from the volatile political environment of the Habsburg court and secure her place within a respected institution.
Born in Vienna to Rudolf II Habsburg and his mistress Katharina Strada, Ana Dorotea, despite her illegitimacy, was well-integrated into the Habsburg political fabric. After her father’s death, she was cared for by her uncle, Emperor Matthias, and his wife, Empress Anna, who granted her the title of Marquise of Austria. In 1623, following a request from her aunt, Archduchess Margaret of Austria, she was transferred to Spain and in 1624, she was formally received into the Convent of Las Descalzas Reales in Madrid.
Her life reflects the complex interplay of power and duty that experienced many women within the extended Habsburg family. By becoming nuns, whether legitimate or illegitimate, Habsburg children could avoid arranged marriages designed to benefit the family and often achieve a great degree of independence.Throughout her life, Ana Dorotea played a significant role within the convent, which was not merely a place of religious devotion but also a centre of cultural life snd art patronage.
