Maria Luisa of Parma

The portrait of Queen María Luisa of Parma, wife of Charles IV, is a work that is complex in both appearance and execution, as Goya painted it in two separate sessions approximately ten years apart. The earlier portrait, painted in 1789, is the one Goya painted of María Luisa from life shortly after she became queen. Goya left it unfinished and revised it around 1799, updating her attire with an “Empire” style dress and a turban-shaped headdress. He also updated her facial features and completely repainted her left arm, separating it from her body.

The queen wears the purple and white sash of the Order of Queen María Luisa, which she created in 1792 for ladies of the spanish aristocracy. The gold embroidery on the dress is executed with bold brushstrokes, designed to create optical effects. In the background, a table covered with the ermine mantle and the royal crown can be seen; these elements are rendered simply to recreate the official ceremonial setting and to help convey a sense of spatial depth.