Alonso Sánchez Coello (1532–1588). Ana of Austria, ca. 1570–71. Oil on canvas, 122 x 96 cm. Museo Lázaro Galdiano, Madrid

The word “ladies” connotes wealth and propriety as well as models of how it was traditionally believed women should act and dress. It encompasses queens, princesses, and other nobility, and, for more recent painters, admirable loved ones. “Ladies” have been contrasted with those who are “unladylike,” who demonstrate uncouth behavior. They have also been contrasted with women from lower classes, who were thought to belong in the home rather than in public: in Spain of the sixteenth through nineteenth centuries, only a noblewoman could show herself to the public through a portrait without being accused of impropriety.

Traditionally, an artist signaled that he was painting a lady through her clothing, which was clearly expensive. Femininity might be suggested by flowers or lace. A lady also looked directly out of the painting: her high standing allowed her to look the viewer in the eye.

These days, our likenesses are often captured by digital and video cameras, but for centuries the portrait genre was restricted to the upper sectors of society, who were seen as having achieved a particular degree of sophistication. Unlike religious paintings, which were intended to convey a message to as many people as possible, portraits were more associated with the court and with city dwellers.

In portraits of ladies, the environment in which the sitter was depicted was telling. Sixteenth-century ladies might stand in front of a darkened background. In the seventeenth century, ladies were frequently shown in interiors adorned with opulent drapes and sumptuous furnishings. In the eighteenth century, artists frequently painted aristocratic ladies in gardens, woods, or meadows that sometimes genuinely belonged to them or else provided a symbolic metaphor for their estates. Often the beauty of nature and the charms of the sitter were shown as complementing each other.

About the works

This portrait shows Ana of Austria, dressed in her royal finery: a beautiful, jewel-encrusted dress with the starched ruff that was fashionable at the time. Her ringed hands hold a lace-trimmed handkerchief and the wooden arm of a chair. Alonso Sánchez Coello, one of the most renowned artists of his day, had studied with the Dutch artist Antonis Mor. Mor taught Coello the Dutch style of portraiture which included beautiful, highly realistic clothing that showed the fine details as well as the play of light. This style of portraiture was more interested in showing wealth and beauty and less interested in the facial or gestural expressions that might give hints as to the subject’s personality or feelings.

Ana of Austria was the daughter of Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian II and both the cousin and fourth wife of Phillip II, who ruled Spain from 1556 to 1598. Ana bore five children, only one of whom survived; this son became Phillip III, who succeeded his father as king. Ana died at age thirty, from influenza.

Women from every walk of life were featured prominently in Francisco de Goya’s portraits. It was not only beauty that attracted him; it was also the discovery of the real person behind it. He was never dazzled by the expensive clothes of his subjects, although they gave him an excuse to display his talent with the paintbrush. He saw through the proud bearing of aristocrats to reveal their innermost being. His portraits unveiled a range of inner qualities.

In the portrait pictured here, the dark silhouette of the Duchess of Alba stands out boldly against an empty sky, her face framed by her cascading hair and a headdress. In the center of the composition, a thin, elegant hand points emphatically to the ground. On it are two rings. The larger of them, on the middle finger, is engraved with the woman’s ancient and noble family name, Alba. The second, on the forefinger, carries the name Goya. These ringed fingers point to an inscription in the sand, “Solo Goya” (Only Goya).

After the king and his family, the Duchess of Alba was one of the highest-ranking nobles in Spain. She was known not only for her wealth and rank, but also for her beauty and charm, noted by nearly every man who met her. Here she wears a bold red sash, which together with the gold of her bodice and sleeves emphasizes her slender elegance. The brilliant colors stand out dramatically against the black of her gown.

The duchess is dressed in maja style: national, rather than royal or lavish, dress. This style, which was very popular at the time, included a full black skirt, a tight bodice, and a traditional black veil known as a mantilla, which fell over the shoulders from a high comb worn in the hair. Men also dressed in national, or majo, style; Goya painted a self-portrait in the 1790s for which he wore a short bullfighting jacket—not an outfit to paint in, but a jacket to show he was a man of the people.

There is some debate about the relationship between the Duchess of Alba and Goya. Most likely, this painting provides evidence of Goya’s unreciprocated love. Painted soon after the duchess’s husband had died, Goya kept this painting for himself; it was found in his studio after his death.

• Look carefully at both portraits, describing each as carefully as possible. What can you guess about Ana of Austria from her portrait? What can you guess about the Duchess of Alba?
• For each painting, make a list of what you find most interesting about the woman in the painting. What different aspects of their subjects seem to have interested each of these painters?
• What are some of the ways that these artists signaled the wealth of the women they painted? Did these symbols change in the two hundred years between when the two portraits were made? Have they changed in the past two hundred years?
• The Duchess of Alba appears to be outside; Ana of Austria appears to be inside. Describe these settings as well as possible. How do these settings provide information and insight into these women? Where would you want your portrait set, and why?

• For much of history, status has been determined by wealth, and those with a great deal of money were found worthy of having their portraits painted. Think of a contemporary woman—someone in the news or in your community—who you think is worthy of a portrait. Research this woman’s character and achievements on the internet or library. Then create a portrait in a medium of your choice. What about this woman do you want to share with people? How can you use visual clues and symbols to convey what you know and find admirable about this woman?
  Visual Arts


• Look through recent magazines with photographs of people. Make a list of some of the women whose picture appears over and over. Do these women share any characteristics? Choose one photograph that most intrigues you, and compare it to the portrait of the Duchess of Alba, using a Venn diagram. How are these portraits similar? Different?
  Social Studies


• As a class, look carefully at the Duchess of Alba, and write down one word that describes her. Individually, make a list of these words, and use them (you don’t have to use them all, and can add other words as needed) to write a poem about the Duchess. Does everyone’s poem seem to describe the same person? How might differences be explained through different clues in the painting?
  English / Language Arts