Artwork
Maria Amalia of Saxony, Queen of Spain

Maria Amalia of Saxony, Queen of Spain is an oil painting by Luis de la Cruz. It dates from 1825 and is held in the collection of the Museo del Prado.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
As a formal portrait executed in oil on canvas, the image serves to document the appearance and rank of the queen during the mid-1820s.
The painting depicts Maria Josepha Amalia of Saxony, identified as the main subject of the work. She is portrayed wearing the insignia of the Order of Queen Maria Luisa, a significant honor indicating her royal status and membership in this specific chivalric order. As a formal portrait executed in oil on canvas, the image serves to document the appearance and rank of the queen during the mid-1820s.
Technique & Style
The portrait was executed in oil paint on canvas, measuring 67 cm in height and 52 cm in width. The work depicts Maria Josepha Amalia of Saxony wearing the Order of Queen Maria Luisa, reflecting formal court portrait conventions of early 19th-century Spanish painting. The composition emphasizes regal symbolism through precise rendering of attire and decorative elements, characteristic of the genre's ceremonial function.
History & Provenance
The portrait of Maria Amalia of Saxony was created by the Spanish painter Luis de la Cruz in 1825, executed in oil paint on canvas. The work entered the collection of the Museo del Prado, where it remains held. No further details of commission, intermediate ownership, or acquisition history are documented in the available sources.
Context
The portrait of Maria Josepha Amalia of Saxony, painted by Luis de la Cruz in 1825, serves as a significant document of late Bourbon iconography within the Spanish court. Executed in oil on canvas, the work is currently held in the collection of the Museo del Prado. As a formal depiction of the queen, it captures her wearing the insignia of the Order of Queen Maria Luisa, reflecting the specific courtly protocols and dynastic symbolism of the era.
The painting contributes to the historical record of royal portraiture during the reign of Ferdinand VII, illustrating the visual culture surrounding the Spanish monarchy in the early nineteenth century.
Overview
Luis de la Cruz’s 1825 oil portrait presents Maria Josepha Amalia of Saxany, who served as queen consort of Spain. The work is part of the Prado Museum’s collection and measures the queen in a formal pose, her steady gaze directed toward the viewer against a muted green backdrop.
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