Sofonisba Anguissola and Sánchez Coello Portraits in Dialogue at Palazzo Abatellis

Palazzo Abatellis in Palermo presents a focused exhibition pairing two 16th-century masterpieces: Sofonisba Anguissola's 'Portrait of Elisabeth of Valois' (1561-65) from the Museo del Prado and Alonso Sánchez Coello's 'Portrait of a Lady with a Dog' (1567) from a private collection. The show, titled 'Come uno specchio' (Like a Mirror), occupies the small 'sottocoro' space designed by Carlo Scarpa. Curated by director Maddalena De Luca, it is part of a series of concise, research-driven projects. The Anguissola portrait, on loan in exchange for Gherardo Starnina's 'Trinity' acquired by the museum in November 2025, depicts the French queen holding a miniature of Philip II. The Coello portrait, rediscovered after decades, recently revealed the artist's signature and date during restoration, challenging previous identification as Dorotea Barresi. Both artists met at the Spanish court; Anguissola was lady-in-waiting and painting teacher to Elisabeth of Valois. The exhibition runs until September 20, 2026.