Observe this portrait by the famous Belgian painter Sir Antony Van Dyck. It is of the Marchesa Elena Grimaldi, wife of Marchese Nicola Cattaneo. I feel a little sorry for the woman because this painting must be more famous than she is as every time I've tried to look up info on-line about Elena Grimaldi all I get is details about Van Dyck and this famous portrait. What information I was able to find was not in a language I spoke and on-line translators usually leave me more confused than when I started. I know the Cattaneo family were very big in the Republic of Genoa and at one time were the major financial backers for the Hapsburg war effort in Holland and Belgium. In any event, it would make perfect sense for a Grimaldi and a Cattaneo to be married but I have no more information than that. If anyone knows more, or where some details might be found, please leave a comment and let me know.
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