The Black Duchess facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Portrait of the Duchess of Alba |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Artist | Francisco Goya |
| Year | 1797 |
| Type | oil-on-canvas |
| Dimensions | 194 cm × 130 cm (76.5 in × 51.25 in) |
| Location | New York Hispanic Society, New York |
The painting called The Black Duchess is also known as Mourning Portrait of the Duchess of Alba or simply Portrait of the Duchess of Alba. It was painted in 1797 by the Spanish artist Francisco Goya. This artwork is an oil-on-canvas.
The painting shows María Cayetana de Silva, 13th Duchess of Alba, who was 35 years old at the time. It is a partner painting to The White Duchess, which Goya finished two years earlier. You can usually find The Black Duchess in New York, where it is part of the collection at the Hispanic Society of America.
Contents
About This Famous Painting
The Portrait of the Duchess of Alba was painted in 1797 by the Spanish artist Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes. This painting is one of several works by Goya that show María Cayetana de Silva, 13th Duchess of Alba.
When Goya painted this artwork, the Duchess was 35 years old. In the painting, she is pointing to the ground. If you look closely, you can see the words "solo Goya" lightly carved there. She is also wearing two rings. One ring has the word "Alba" on it, and the other has "Goya." The word "solo" was once hidden, but it became visible after the painting was cleaned and fixed.
The Duchess's husband, José, passed away in 1796. After his death, she went to live in a quiet home in Andalusia for a time to mourn. Goya followed her there and created many paintings and sketches of the Duchess during her stay. There's a story that one day, the Duchess came into Goya's art studio. She asked him to put on her makeup and then paint her picture, which he did.
What the Duchess is Wearing
The Duchess chose to wear a black mantilla (a type of veil) and a black skirt. This choice of black clothing shows that she was in mourning for her husband.
She is dressed in the maja style. This style was usually worn by people from lower social classes in Spain. The Duchess might have wanted to be painted this way to show that she was a "woman of the people." However, the background of the painting seems to show one of her large estates.
Who Owned the Painting?
Even though the Black Duchess might have been painted because the Duchess asked for it, the artist Goya still owned it when she passed away. Goya's son, Javier, later sold the painting. It was owned by different people before Archer Milton Huntington bought it in 1906. He then brought it to the USA. In 1907, Huntington gave the painting to the Hispanic Society, and it has been there ever since. In 2023, the painting was shown at the Royal Academy in London.
The Painting in Movies
The film Goya en Burdeos (1999) explores the artist Goya's connection with the Duchess. In the movie, there is a scene where the Duchess, played by Maribel Verdú, is painted in a way that reminds viewers of the Black Duchess. Her costume in the film includes a black mantilla, just like in the painting.
See also
In Spanish: La duquesa de Alba de negro para niños
- List of works by Francisco Goya
