Portrait of Doña Inés N. de Aldao

About this work

This portrait shows a woman sitting in a chair, facing forward. She wears a black dress with a low neckline and short, puffy sleeves. Her dark hair is pulled back, and she has a gold brooch on her chest. She wears dangling earrings and bracelets on both wrists. Her right hand rests on her lap, and her left arm is bent at the elbow, with her hand resting on the arm of the chair. The woman's expression is neutral, and her gaze is directed at the viewer. The background of the painting is a solid brown color, which helps to focus attention on the subject. The artist's use of chiaroscuro creates a sense of depth and dimensionality in the painting. You can learn more about this technique by looking up chiaroscuro.