María Leonor Salm-Salm, Duchess of Osuna

María Leonor Crescencia Catalina Salm-Salm, only daughter of Prince Francisco José Federico and María Josefina, was born in Frankfurt in 1842. She met her cousin Mariano Téllez Girón, 12th duke of Osuna, and shortly afterwards got married to him, on 4 April 1866, in Baden Baden (Germany). They set up home in the castle of the Belgian town of Beauraing, after having spent some time in Madrid, during which this canvas must have been painted, possibly to mark her presentation in Madrid society. / By 1866, Carlos Luis de Ribera had already been awarded several honours. This canvas illustrates the influence of the French portraiture that he had learnt in Paris especially from his master, Paul Delaroche.