Die Sieger der Seeschlacht von Lepanto 1571

In the battle of Lepanto in the Gulf of Korinth in the Ionian Sea on October 7, 1571, the united Spanish, papal, Venetian, Genuese, and Tuscannian fleet defeated Sultan Selim’s II warships. This victory broke the domination of the Turks and the North African pirates in their service in the Mediterranean. Against the background of warships, the painting shows Don Juan d’Austria (1547–1578), the illegitimate son of Karl V., Marc Antonio Colonna (1536–1584), the Admiral of the Papal troups and Sebastiano Venier, († 1578), Prokurator of San Marco. The ceremonial suits of armour were displayed in the Ambras »Hero’s Armoury«. The portrait was presented in the so-called Neuer Saal of Schloss Ruhelust (s. inventory of estate, 1596).