Imagen y poder en la corte de Felipe II: apariencia y representación de la Infanta de España

Since ancient times appearance has been one of the most important instruments in men to express his feelings and ideas. As a sign of identity it has always been useful to set the social order and range of each person. The monarchs aware of the image of the power, used all the elements they could to conquer their subjects through the sight. The clothing, their ornaments, gestures and attitudes were useful to raise respect and admiration. In this scenery the king introduced himself as the main figure surrounded in many occasions by his family, playing his sons a fundamental role as followers of his lineage. In Spain, where the Salic law didn´t exist, the Infant as a descendant and possible heir of the king had the aim of reflecting the values of her dynasty and assuring her survival. Isabella Clara Eugenia and Catherine Michelle, daughters of Philip II, embodied the power of the absolute monarchy and contributed to personify their virtues. Throughout their portraits and the different documents in the Archivo General de Palacio and Archivo General de Simancas, this essay analyses the appearance and representation of the infants in the court of Philip II.