Donna Maria Valcarzel y Cordova

Donna Maria Valcarzel y Cordova (1745 -1802) was born in Madrid and obtained Milanese citizenship in 1780. She was widowed by Giuseppe Ledenne, the eldest of the Corazzieri, married in the second marriage to Carlo Spinola, Marquis de Los Balbases and Duke de Sesto (1720-1798) , to which he brings a very rich dowry, and of which he acquires the noble titles. Widowed for the second time, she joined the Order of the Franciscan Tertiaries, with whose religious habit she wanted to be buried. In his will of 1801, he envisaged various legacies, including that of establishing the dowry for poor girls annually.

Universal Hospital is the Major Hospital which, as always for the most important benefactors, has its portrait executed. The commission is entrusted to Giosuè Sala, called the Saletta, who can have as a model for the face the death mask prepared by Anton Francesco Biondi, another painter of the hospital picture gallery.

The noblewoman is represented very elegant, standing,

in front of a desk, with inkwell and quill pens. On the fabric of the tablecloth is represented the family crest, surmounted by the ducal crown.

With his right hand he indicates the Hospital, recipient of his enormous fortune.

The left hand shows the will, which the artist must have had under his eye; it reads in fact: "I want to universal heir of my substance with the bonds within expressed the Ospedale Maggiore of Milan and for executors and administrators of the same citizens Rosario Pietrasanta, Giuseppe De la Casa, and accountant Francesco Braja, Doctor Bartolomeo Guerrini Notary to remain drawn up on this Monday sixteenth day of November 1801 ”.

The architectural details of the seventeenth-century façade are rendered with realism, with the sculptures executed by Giovan Pietro Lasagna: above the announcing angel and the Virgin, under St. Ambrose and St. Charles

On the architrave of the window it is written: "Orate / pro marchesa Valcalzel de Cordua marchionissa / de los Balbases et ducissa Sexti / obita Mediolani die V ianuarii MDCCCII".

The estimated value of only the jewels left at the hospital adds up to the fantastic sum of 527,000 lire, removed the three bijoux worth 100 sequins each donated to the executors of the will, and removed those ceded to the nephew, listed in the will and partly represented in the portrait:

"Necklace of 30 pearls,

two large drops of pear-shaped pearls,

an antique ring of a single diamond with a real ring of diamonds, another necklace of 45 pearls,

a ring with straw-colored diamond, two diamonds, one quadrilateral and the other triangular ”.

The picture also shows two spectacular brilliant flowers and a string of 24 pearls on the head,

plus two pendants on the belt.