Hortense Mancini (1646–1699), Duchess of Mazarin

Godfrey Kneller's portrait of Hortense Mancini, Duchess of Mazarin, from 1693 depicts one of the most celebrated beauties and adventuresses of seventeenth-century Europe. Mancini, a niece of Cardinal Mazarin, fled her abusive husband and settled in England under the protection of Charles II, becoming a prominent figure in Restoration court culture. Kneller's portrait captures her in her later years at the Stuart court, where she presided over a literary and political salon.

Kneller's portrait combines the flattering idealization expected of court portraiture with sufficient individuality to convey the sitter's renowned beauty and intelligence. The handling of silk drapery and the warm, luminous skin tones demonstrate his accomplished late Baroque technique.