Artwork
Condesa de Altamira and Her Daughter, María Agustina
Condesa de Altamira and Her Daughter, María Agustina is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist Francisco de Goya. It dates from 1794 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
Painted in 1794, this oil portrait depicts María Ignacia Álvarez de Toledo y Gonzaga, the Countess of Altamira, alongside her young daughter, María Agustina.
Painted in 1794, this oil portrait depicts María Ignacia Álvarez de Toledo y Gonzaga, the Countess of Altamira, alongside her young daughter, María Agustina. The composition focuses on the maternal bond, presenting the mother and child in an intimate grouping. Iconographic elements include their elaborate clothing, which signifies their aristocratic status, and a flowering plant positioned near the figures.
As a formal portrait, the work serves to document the likenesses and social standing of these specific individuals within the Spanish nobility. The presence of the infant and the blooming flora may subtly allude to themes of lineage, vitality, and the continuation of the family line, common motifs in portraiture of this era intended to celebrate dynastic prosperity.
Technique & Style
The portrait Condesa de Altamira and Her Daughter, María Agustina, painted by Francisco Goya in 1794, is executed in oil on canvas. The work measures roughly 195 cm in height by 115 cm in width, reflecting the scale typical of 18th-century formal portraiture. It portrays the aristocratic mother alongside her infant daughter, emphasizing intimacy through careful rendering of clothing and a modest floral motif.
The painting's formal composition combines a balanced triangular arrangement of figures with subtle chiaroscuro modeling, characteristic of Goya's early court portrait style. The piece is part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection, formerly owned by Robert Lehman.
History & Provenance
The portrait was created by Francisco Goya in 1794 as an oil on canvas, depicting María Ignacia Álvarez de Toledo y Gonzaga, Condesa de Altamira, with her daughter. After its completion, the painting entered the private collection of American collector Robert Lehman, who later bequeathed it to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it remains today.
Overview
This oil painting, titled Condesa de Altamira and Her Daughter, María Agustina, presents a serene double portrait. It depicts a woman seated, cradling an infant, against a subdued backdrop. The composition emphasizes the figures, drawing the viewer's eye to their presence and the tender interaction between mother and child. The overall impression is one of quiet dignity and maternal affection.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes was a Spanish romantic painter and printmaker.
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