Jan Kraek, called Giovanni Caracca
1540 – 1607
A Pair of Portraits, probably depicting the two eldest Daughters of Charles-Emmanuel, Duke of Savoy, and Caterina Micaela, née Princess of Spain: Margaret of Savoy (1589-1655), who would later become Duchess of Mantua through her marriage to Francesco IV Gonzaga
Medium:
Oil on Canvas
Category:
Dimensions:
42(h) x 32(w) cms
Framed Dimensions:
58(h) x 47(w) cms
Exhibitions:
Paired with:
Essay:
Jan Kraek,who most probably hailed from Haarlem, spent most of his working life at the Savoy Court, hence the italianisation of his name to Giovanni Caracca. He first worked for Duke Emmanuel-Philibert from about 1568 and subsequently for his successor Charles-Emmanuel, painting mostly court portaits and religious subjects. It is also known that he painted the decorative schemes for a number of palaces, notably the Grand Gallery for Charles-Emmanuel, which has since been destroyed by fire.
The artist moved with the Dukes of Savoy to Turin in 1580. He accompanied the Duke to Zaragoza on the occasion of the Duke's wedding in 1585 to Caterina Micaela, daughter of Philip II of Spain. Kraek also went with him on a second trip to Spain on a political visit (testament to the high regard in which he was held by the Duke of Savoy) and he possibly painted the King's portrait on this occasion.
Stylistically, he left Holland far behind and indeed gained most of his influences from the Spanish painters who also worked in the Court of Savoy; in particular the work of Alonso Sanchez Coello and Juan Pantoja de la Cruz.
Provenance:
Private Collection, Italy
