Princess Louise Hollandine | Baroque painter | Masterpiece

Princess Louise Hollandine of the Palatinate (18 April 1622 - 11 February 1709) was a painter and abbess.

She was a daughter of Frederick V of the Palatinate, the "Winter King" of Bohemia, and Scottish princess Elizabeth Stuart, daughter of King James VI and I.

She is also known for her romantic involvement with the Marquess of Montrose.

Early life

Born in April 1622, Louise Hollandine was born at the Hague Palace in Holland, as her father was living in exile at the court of his uncle, Maurice, Prince of Orange.

She was his sixth child and second daughter by his wife Princess Elizabeth Stuart, eldest daughter of King James VI and I of England and sister of King Charles I.

Her parents had lost their Electoral lands and the crown of Bohemia, resulting in exile.

She was given the name Hollandine to show appreciation to Frederick's uncles, the Princes of Orange, for protecting the family in exile.

She studied primarily in Leiden at the 'Prinsenhof', and reportedly began drawing lessons at age six, and became devoted to portraiture.

She was taught in the Calvinist tradition according to the Heidelberg Catechism.

Painting

Louise Hollandine was a talented portrait painter and graphic artist, a talent that she shared with her brother, Prince Rupert.

She was student of Gerard van Honthorst and painted so ably in his style that some of her works were attributed to him.

As abbess, she continued painting and used her abbey's wealth and her family's lineage to make charitable donations to English Benedictine nuns, including a Madonna and Child painting she created in 1691, which was hung in the Lady Chapel.

As a painter, the princess is considered an "amateur".

The portraits she painted are often in the Baroque style of Honthorst, but there are exceptions, which were likely not commissioned.

Her works were generally kept within her family, and some can now be found in German museums. | Source: © Wikipedia/div>

La principessa Louise Hollandine del Palatinato (1622-1709) fu pittrice e badessa.

Era una figlia di Federico V del Palatinato, il "Re dell'Inverno" di Boemia, e della principessa scozzese Elisabetta Stuart, figlia del re Giacomo VI e I.

È anche nota per il suo coinvolgimento romantico con il marchese di Montrose.

Gerard van Honthorst | Princess Louise Hollandine

Louise Hollandine era una ritrattista di talento ed artista grafico, un talento che condivise con suo fratello il Principe Rupert.

Fu allieva di Giuliano Periccioli, senese e Gerard van Honthorst e dipingeva con tanta abilità nel suo stile che alcune delle sue opere sono state attribuite a lui.

Per lo sgomento della sua famiglia protestante, si convertì alla fede cattolica e si rifugiò in Francia.