Isabella of Bourbon (1603–1644)

Isabella of Bourbon at Pollok House, painted around 1620, is an early portrait of the French princess who married Philip IV in 1615. The relatively early date places this among the first official images of the new queen that Velazquez or his circle produced for distribution. Velázquez's uncompromising naturalism and psychological penetration, combined with his revolutionary loose handling of paint in his late work, made him one of the most admired painters in history, his technique anticipating Impressionism and influencing Manet, Sargent, and countless others.

The early court portrait style is more formal and less fluid than Velazquez's later work. The queen's features are described with careful precision, while the elaborate costume provides passages of decorative painting that demonstrate the young artist's developing skill with luxury materials.