Eleanora of Toledo, Duchess of Florence, was the wife of the powerful Duke Cosimo I de' Medici. In 1541, the duke declared her regent, designated to rule in his absence. This painting, created in tandem with Bronzino's portrait of the duke in armor, commemorates both Eleanora's authority and her role in the dynasty. Posed regally, she eyes the viewer with a steady, even icy, stare. Her magnificent dress of brocaded satin enhances the imposing, iconic quality of her image. The use of Florentine material for the dress, as Joe A. Thomas has established, asserts state identity as embodied in the female ruler. The presence of her young son stresses her role as progenitor and ensurer of the continuation of the Medici dynasty, while the view of the Arno River in the right background alludes to her shared rule of Florence.