The Stuarts and the Wautier Siblings. Portraits of a Royal Family in Exile

Abstract

The present article examines the relationship between the 17th century sibling painters, Michaelina (Mons, 1604–Brussels, 1689) and Charles Wautier (Mons, 1609–Brussels, 1703), and the three eldest children of Charles I of England, in the context of the imminent restoration of the sovereignty of the Stuarts in Great Britain, whilst they were in Brussels during their exile. Together with the known Portrait of James, Duke of York (London, 1633– 1701) by Charles Wautier, an anonymous portrait of a lady in red is subject to investigation, and identified as that of Mary Henrietta Stuart, Princess Royal of England, and Princess of Orange (London, 1631-1660). The princess would have sat for Charles’ sister Michaelina in early 1660, at a moment when it is possible to locate her to Brussels, months before her untimely death. This significant new finding reinforces the Wautiers' relationship with the Stuarts whilst they were in exile, and further invites us to consider a portrait of the Stuarts older brother and soon-to-be King, Charles II (London, 1630-1685), conceived of under similar circumstances.

Keywords

• retrato
• siglo xvii
• pintura flamenca
• bruselas
• wautier
• pintora
• van dyck
• estuardo
• orange
• carlos ii
• restauración inglesa.