Ferdinand III of Bohemia and Hungary

The title in this portrait's name fixes its moment. In 1635 Ferdinand, son of Emperor Ferdinand II, was King of Hungary and of Bohemia, but not yet emperor himself. That came two years later, in 1637. The canvas was painted by Jan van den Hoecke after a design by Rubens for Antwerp's welcome of its new governor, the Cardinal-Infante Ferdinand of Spain. The two Ferdinands were cousins, and brothers-in-law too, since the king had married the cardinal's sister Maria Anna in 1631. In September 1634 they had joined their armies at Nördlingen and beaten the Swedes there, so Antwerp honoured both. This canvas and its companion portrait of the cardinal-infante are the same size, about two metres sixty high, and hang together in this room. Rubens's own painting of the two cousins meeting before that battle is also in this museum.