▁dense ▁web ▁of ▁kin ship ▁that ▁tied ▁them ▁together . ▁Princess es ▁married ▁abroad ▁often ▁never ▁saw ▁their ▁close ▁family ▁again , ▁and ▁royal ▁children ▁were ▁generally ▁raised ▁away ▁from ▁court , ▁and ▁might ▁not ▁see ▁their ▁parents ▁for ▁considerable ▁intervals . ▁ ▁As ▁well ▁as ▁being ▁icons ▁of ▁grande ur , ▁port ra its ▁might ▁be ▁all ▁that ▁family ▁members ▁saw ▁of ▁each ▁others ▁for ▁many ▁years , ▁and ▁were ▁often ▁keen ly ▁await ed ▁and ▁carefully ▁exam ined . ▁ ▁In ▁particular , ▁port ra its ▁of ▁royal ▁children , ▁circul ated ▁within ▁the ▁family , ▁might ▁be ▁anx iously ▁scr ut in ized , ▁and ▁used ▁to ▁diagn ose ▁health ▁issues . ▁ ▁Port ra its ▁of ▁both ▁parties ▁to ▁a ▁marriage ▁being ▁negoti ated ▁were ▁often ▁ex changed , ▁and ▁for ▁the ▁men ▁seem ▁often ▁to ▁have ▁been ▁important ▁in ▁choosing ▁a ▁wife ; ▁it ▁was ▁preferred ▁to ▁send ▁one ' s ▁own ▁painter ▁to ▁the ▁lady , ▁though ▁the ▁men ▁were ▁more ▁often ▁painted ▁by ▁an ▁artist ▁from ▁the ▁home ▁side . ▁ ▁One ▁such ▁portrait ▁of ▁Carlos , ▁Prince ▁of ▁Ast ur ias ▁ ▁( 1 5 4 5 – 1 5 6 8 ) ▁was ▁sent ▁to ▁Vienna , ▁where ▁a ▁marriage ▁was ▁being ▁considered , ▁with ▁a ▁covering ▁letter ▁by ▁the ▁Aust rian ▁amb assador ▁in ▁Madrid ▁not ing ▁aspects ▁of ▁his ▁appearance ▁that ▁the ▁painter ▁had ▁gl oss ed ▁over . ▁ ▁The ▁marriage ▁never ▁took ▁place . ▁ ▁Such ▁port ra its ▁seem