The Development of Catherine of Austria's Collection in the Queen's Household: Its Character and Cost

This study is an investigation and interpretation of the Kunstkammer and collection of Catherine of Austria (1507-1578), youngest sister of Charles V and Queen of Portugal. Neglected by Portuguese historians and art historians alike, a wealth of unpublished material (correspondence, inventories, household records, payment accounts and receipts) in the Archivo Nacional da Torre do Tombo in Lisbon have revealed that the Portuguese Queen owned the largest collection of exotica and oriental ware in Europe, during the first half of the sixteenth century, and was an active patron. The mechanics of the Queen's household and court within the context of ceremonial and etiquette, and its relation to her collection, collecting activities and practices are examined, as are the artists, goldsmiths, craftsmen and artisans patronized at the Lisbon court. Transcriptions and translations of six royal inventories and a catalogue of over 400 related documents (with annotated notes) from 1525 to 1570 are provided in the appendices, including a glossary of sixteenth century terms.
A preliminary reconstruction of the contents of the Queen's collection housed in the Lisbon palace, and its expenditures is made. Catherine's collecting practices bridged two traditions: the medieval treasury (Schatzkammer) and the cabinet of curiosities (Wunderkammer). Her goal, highly personal and eclectic, was not to collect in an encyclopedic fashion. Aside from costly objects, a portrait and tapestry collection was assembled, prefiguring the portrait galleries in sixteenth-century Spanish royal residences. Catherine's collection became a personal reflection of her status as Queen, while its importance lay in its administration and organization, unique among her contemporaries.
Questions of common patterns of patronage and collecting among Habsburg queens, regents and princesses in the sixteenth century are raised, and in what manner Catherine of Austria's collection fits into this context, that of collecting in sixteenth-century Portugal and other contemporary Renaissance princely collections. The analysis of Catherine's documentation provides facts about these patterns and offers more about collecting practices from the mid- to late sixteenth century.