Aurora von Königsmarck in Masquerade Dress

Maria Aurora von Königsmarck (1662–1728), Swedish aristocrat, from 1694 mistress of the Elector of Saxony, Friedrich August I—later King August II of Poland, mother of Maurice, Count of Saxony (1696–1750).

The painting belongs to a group of 15 portraits which are traditionally believed to have been acquired by Stanisław August in 1764 from Kasper Lubomirski, together with the Ujazdów estate … . The list of the paintings to be found in Ujazdów Castle in 1765, does not mention a portrait of Aurora von Königsmarck, although it is possible that the Łazienki likeness is one of the 19 ‘portraits of ladies’ recorded there. It is to be assumed that these were the portraits of famous beautiful women from the time of August II, which the king may have accumulated at Ujazdów Castle in the period when he leased it from the Lubomirskis—in the years 1720–33. … [D. Juszczak, H. Małachowicz, The Stanisław August Collection of Paintings at the Royal Łazienki. Catalogue, Royal Łazienki Museum, Warsaw 2016, no. 136, p. 492.]