| Artist | Francisco Goya |
|---|---|
| Year | 1805 |
| Type | Oil on canvas |
| Dimensions | 82 cm × 54.6 cm (32 in × 21.5 in) |
| Location | National Gallery, London |
Portrait of Doña Isabel de Porcel is an oil-on-canvas painting made by the Spanish painter Francisco Goya around 1805. The portrait depicts Isabel Lobo Velasco de Porcel, who was born at Ronda around 1780 and was the second wife of Antonio Porcel (a liberal also portrayed by Goya in 1806; yet his painting was lost in a fire). Isabel's husband was 25 years older than she, and they met when she was 20 years old. Antonio Porcel was a friend of Gaspar Melchor de Jovellanos, who in turn brought him in contact with Goya, who lived in close proximity of the couple's domicile.
The half-length portrait depicts a young woman dressed in typical Spanish attire, a white shirt and a black mantilla. In spite of her "maja" attire, the richness of the textiles and her lady-like appearance give the picture an aristocratic elegance. In certain epochs the clothes worn by the Spanish wealthy class were an imitation of the popular attires.
The decisive gesture of her arms in the akimbo position and her confidence stand out. Her eyes and hair are light brown, her skin is pale, and her body is slightly turned to the left side, while her head gives balance by being turned to the opposite side. Goya achieves realism and deepness without adding secondary objects to the composition. One of the unique aspects of this painting is that the woman is looking towards the left side of the viewer and not towards him, which is the case of the majority of Goya's paintings.
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