Portrait of Ernestine Yolande (1594-1663), Princess of Ligne

This painting comes from the family of Johan Maurits, for whom the Mauritshuis was built. The inscription on the portrait tells us who the lady is: Ernestina, femme de conte Jan de Nassau – wife of Count Jan of Nassau. The Jan in question was the half-brother of Johan Maurits of Nassau-Siegen. To the dismay of the rest of his Protestant family, Jan was openly Catholic.

Jan van Ravesteyn painted Ernestina in all her finery, with a costly tiara of pearls and orange blossom in her hair.