María Francisca de Villanova Ibarco, Pink dress

Francisca Villanova arrived at the Viceroyalty of New Granada on September 16,1803 alongside her husband the Viceroy Antonio Amar y Borbón. She was daughter of merchant Don Eugenio de Villanova from Sadaba, from whom she learnt to have a silver tongue when it came to trade deals and live a lavish lifestyle.

After her arrival to New Granada, she bought several establishments for low prices, known to be a very prideful woman who surround herself with luxuries, among those dresses made with silk and goldthreads in the style of the European aristocracy of the late XVIII Century.

During these times, woman’s dresses had become looser, flowy and colorful after the death of Louis XIV. This new fashion reflects the cultural shift and transition from baroque to rococo, a period known for their exuberant style.

French dress consists of a skirt and blouse, in Francisca Villanova dress can be seen with a straight cut, marked waistline under the bust, which differed from the french dress with a wider waistline and skirt. Also shows some English dress influences from the early XIX Century, doesn't have any internal structure for the wide skirt of the dress.