María Luisa de Parma, Queen of Spain

The painting was created in 1789 as a commissioned portrait of María Luisa de Parma, Queen of Spain, by the Spanish court artist Mariano Salvador Maella. It was executed in oil on canvas and originally entered the collection of the Museo del Prado, where it remains on display.

The work was produced during the late 18th century, with its creation dated between January 1, 1789, and the end of that year. Its dimensions measure 107 centimeters in height by 80 centimeters in width. The composition features symbolic elements such as the Order of Queen Maria Luisa, a hand fan, a crown, gemstones, and the Golden Fleece, reflecting the queen’s ceremonial status.

The painting’s provenance is documented through its acquisition by the Museo del Prado, establishing a clear ownership chain from the Spanish monarchy to the museum’s permanent collection.

Mariano Salvador Maella's oil painting of María Luisa de Parma, Queen of Spain, is held in the collection of the Museo del Prado in Madrid. The work, created in 1789, depicts the queen adorned with the Order of Queen Maria Luisa, a hand fan, a crown, gemstones, and the Golden Fleece. While the specific inventory or accession number is not provided in the available records, the painting is cataloged within the Prado's holdings as a portrait from the late 18th century. No specific exhibition history is detailed in the provided sources.

Mariano Salvador Maella’s 1795 oil portrait presents Maria Luisa of Parma, Queen of Spain, in full regal attire. The queen stands before a neutral background, her white dress trimmed with a blue‑white sash, a feathered headdress, and a jeweled crown. In her right hand she holds a scepter, while a red‑gold object rests in her left, underscoring her sovereign status.

Created during the reign of Charles IV, the portrait aligns with a broader European trend of depicting monarchs with their ceremonial orders and regalia. It illustrates the Spanish court’s effort to project continuity and prestige amid the political turbulence that would soon culminate in the Napoleonic invasions.