Portrait of Cornelia Frangipani (d. 1581)
1600-1615
Classification
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Gift of Eleanor and Sarah Hewitt
Accession Number
1931-94-134
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
This evocative *Portrait of Cornelia Fripani (d. 1581)*, signed with the monogram I.P.S., to around 1600–1615, capturing the noblewoman posthumously in print form. Created over two decades after her death, it reflects the era's fascination with memorializing prominent figures, likely from Italy's illustrious Frangipani family known for their influence in Renaissance Rome. Such portraits preserved legacies amid shifting political and cultural landscapes at the dawn of the Baroque period. As a print, the work exemplifies a revolutionary medium that democratized art, enabling reproductions for c...