Museum Hof van Busleyden in Mechelen (Belgium) has recently acquired a remarkable early sixteenth-century portrait of a young girl, attributed to the so-called Master of the Legend of the Magdalen. The child is shown wearing a simple white apron and cap, and a necklace adorned with three amulets: a wolf’s tooth, a piece of red coral, and what appears to be a silver ring. These objects were commonly used in the late medieval and early modern periods as protective charms against illness and child mortality, and also functioned as teething aids.

Although the identification is not yet conclusive, the portrait is believed to depict either Isabella of Austria (1501-1526) or her younger sister Mary of Austria (1505-1558), daughters of Philip the Handsome (1478-1506) and Joanna of Castile (1479-1555).

The painting was previously shown in the 2021 landmark exhibition Children of the Renaissance. This exhibition was curated by Dr. Samuel Mareel and was nominated for the International Exhibition of the Year by the Museum+Heritage Awards. Until recently, it belonged to a private collection and was brought to market through the British art dealer James Macdonald Fine Art.

This work is associated with a second portrait, which may depict an older sibling. Together, the two paintings reveal strong iconographic connections with other Habsburg family portraits, such as the triptych of Eleonora, Charles V, and Isabella attributed to the Master of the Mechelen Saint George’s Guild (Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna), as well as examples from the Royal Collection. A detailed examination and further research will follow this important acquisition.

The painting significantly strengthens Museum Hof van Busleyden’s emphasis on Burgundian-Habsburg history and Mechelen’s role as a centre of education for Habsburg princes and princesses under the leadership of Margaret of Austria. The portrait will first be displayed in a dedicated focus exhibition, after which it will be integrated into the museum’s permanent exhibition.