Where there is a Black Alba there must be a White Alba too. This one is from 1795, shortly
Where there is a Black Alba there must be a White Alba too. This one is from 1795, shortly before her husbands death. It is also a full-sized portrait, a bit more conventional than the black one. It was meant for public display and is today still part of the Alba art collection. Which came recently in the news because of the third wedding of the present duchess, 85 year old, with a youngster of 60. It must be in the genes. Once more I cite from Eeweems.com, in it’s turn citing from Sarah Symmons’ book Goya: Goya’s informal relationships with Spanish noblewomen reflect the social independence which aristocratic women were able to show subordinates and friends. English visitors to the Spanish court often expressed their consternation at the relaxation of etiquette that high-born wealthy women enjoyed. Early attempts to improve the position of women in Spain had enabled both married women and widows to assume a degree of social independence that was denied the unmarried female. The Duchess of Alba was particularly well known for charm and willfulness and one of Goya’s earliest references to her, in a letter to Zapater, describes how she persuaded him to make up her face: ‘you’d be better off coming to help me paint the Alba woman, who yesterday came to the studio to make me paint her face, and she got her way; I certainly enjoy it more than painting on canvas, and I still have to do a full-length portrait of her. -- source link
#painting