Portrait of a Lady

This unknown woman is portrayed from the waist up and three quarters on with upwardturned eyes and hands joined in prayer, a posture which, for centuries, was associated in Western art with the donor -i.e. the financer of some pious work of art. Such portraits were placed next to the donated work so that the faithful might recognize them. This privilege was afforded those who donated large amounts, so that we can assume that the woman in question belonged to the higher spheres of neo-Hispanic society, a conjecture that is corroborated by her sumptuous clothes and fine jewelry. The skill of the painter show us both the clothes and the jewelry in copious detail, especially the fine black damask of the surcoat and bodice; the use of this color for clothing became widespread among aristocrats during the reign of Charles Vth in first the half of the XVIth century and lingered on for many years among the courtiers of Spain and other European countries. It being more difficult to dye things black, clothing of this color was more expensive. The gold buttons befit the opulent fabrics and the effect is rounded out by the jewelry with the subject wearing two gold rings with precious stones, and a gold chain with pearls to secure her wimple. This last item was indispensable daily adornment for married women and worn by single ones when praying or attending church. The subject wears two of them —a white diaphanous one adorned with lacework tracery and, on top of it, a thicker black one. A finishing touch to the woman's outfit is the starched ruff and the matching cuffs, both of which items are made of fine Dutch linen and trimmed with lace. This work passed to the MUNAL from the San Diego Viceregal Painting Gallery in the year 2000.