Caterina Cornaro fu l'ultima regina del Regno di Cipro fino al 1489, anno in cui fu costretta ad abdicare in favore del Doge di Venezia. In questo dipinto la regina è raffigurata avvolta in un elegante e prezioso mantello realizzato in seta turca, testimonianza degli scambi commerciali tra Venezia e l'Oriente. La donna raffigurata nel dipinto, come testimoniano anche alcune incisioni, è stata spesso erroneamente identificata come Roxelana, moglie di Solimano il Magnifico, probabilmente a causa della somiglianza tra i ritratti delle due sovrane. Caterina Cornaro was the last monarch of the Kingdom of Cyprus (r.1474-89). In 1489, Caterina was forced to abdicate and cede her rights as ruler to the Doge of Venice. Caterina Coranaro is depicted here wearing an elegant coat that appears to be made of Turkish silk. Venice at the time was at the crossroads of east and west and textiles are known to have been traded between the two nations. This painting has often been referred to as Roxelana, wife of the Ottoman Sultan Süleyman the Magnificentas, she is sometimes known, and there are probably old engravings where it is described as such. Part of the confusion is caused by the resemblance between Caterina Cornaro portrait and Hürrem Sultan.