Portrait of the Marchioness of Santa Cruz facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Portrait of the Marchioness of Santa Cruz |
|
|---|---|
| Spanish: Retrato de la Marquesa de Santa Cruz | |
 |
|
| Artist | Francisco Goya |
| Year | 1805 |
| Medium | Oil on canvas |
| Dimensions | 125 cm × 208 cm (49 in × 82 in) |
| Location | Museo del Prado, Madrid |
The Portrait of the Marchioness of Santa Cruz is a famous painting from 1805. It was created by the Spanish artist Francisco Goya. Goya was a family friend of the woman in the painting.
Today, this artwork is kept at the Museo del Prado in Madrid, Spain. The museum bought it in 1986 for over US$6 million.
What the Painting Shows
The painting shows a woman named Joaquina Téllez-Girón, Marquise of Santa Cruz. She is wearing a light white dress. She is lying on her side on a red couch, called a divan.
Yellow flowers decorate her hair. In her left hand, she holds a musical instrument. It looks like a lyre-guitar. Her eyes do not look directly at you. Instead, she seems to be looking far away. Her body looks like it is floating on the red couch and pillows.
Hidden Meanings in the Art
This painting has some hidden meanings, like a puzzle. It reminds us of ancient Greek stories and plays. The flowers in her hair are a sign of Dionysus, the Greek god of celebration.
The lyre-guitar looks like an ancient lyre. This instrument is a tribute to art and to Apollo. Apollo was the Greek god of music and poetry.
Modern Inspiration
This painting even inspired a scene in a movie! A comedy film called Mortdecai (2015) used it. The movie stars Johnny Depp and Gwyneth Paltrow. They created a similar "fantasy portrait" in the film.
