Image: Amalia de Llano y Dotres, condesa de Vilches (Federico de Madrazo)

Description: As a masterpiece of Spanish romantic portraits and the most attractive female portraits of the artist, it is undoubtedly the most emblematic work of the collections of the 19th century the Prado. Madrazo reached in this work the pinnacle of his mature production, this time with its painstaking refinement, serving one of the most beautiful and charming women of Madrid during the reign of Isabell II of Spain (1833-1868). The portrait has been created with a distinctly French air, well suited to the elegance of the model, that Madrazo learned during his training in Paris with Ingres. The pose of the lady conveys inspiration outside of the Spanish tradition. The coquettish pose of the model is nevertheless studiously casual, which serves to give the work a graceful movement. The lighting used by Madrazo makes the whiteness of female skin tones stand out against the dark background, while accentuating the color. The subtlety of certain gestures of the model, as the delicacy of holding the fan, the almost imperceptible touch of her fingers with her oval face or the sweet smile, echoed by her seductive look, all serves to show the magnificence of this portrait.
Title: Amalia de Llano, a Spanish countess and author
Credit: Galería online, Museo del Prado.
Author: Federico de Madrazo y Kuntz
Usage Terms: Public domain
License: Public domain
Attribution Required?: No