Emanuel Thomas Peter
Lady in White Dress in front of a Cloudy Sky
The influence of Emanuel Peter's teacher Daffinger is clearly visible in the lady's rosy complexion and her red lips forming a fresh contrast to the grey sky in the background. Unlike Daffinger, however, the artist did not use rich accessories to embellish the sitter but created an authentic representation. The order on the lady's left shoulder is assumed to be the Order of the Star Cross (Sternkreuzorden), one of the few orders conferred on women. It was donated on May 3, 1668 by Eleonore de Gozanga, widow of Emperor Ferdinand III, in reminiscence of a cross relic from the possession of the Habsburg dynasty. The order was exclusively conferred on noblewomen who could prove their noble descent by a family tree and coat-of-arms. Since its appearance has undergone various changes in the course of the centuries the identification of the order is uncertain; however, its oval shape and attaching on the left, the black ribbon and the blue cross are clear characteristics of the Order of the Star Cross.
1 We are grateful to Alexander Guano, Tiroler Landesmuseum Ferdinandeum, Innsbruck, for his research on orders.
