The mystical love story of the capricious Duchess of Alba and the genius artist Francisco Goya

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

The relationship between Alba and Goya was considered one of the most romantic in the history of Spanish art. Although the connection between the rude revolutionary painter and the beautiful capricious Duchess Alba has not been documented for certain, this story remains extremely interesting at the present time.

Duchess XIII

Among the famous artists, whose work contains elements of old styles and modern times, Francisco Goya stands out in particular. And Duchess Caetana Alba helped the artist to reach the top of her creative career. Her character and titles were as pretentious as their complicated relationship with the master.

Her full name is Maria del Pilar Teresa Caetana de Silva Alvarez de Toledo. Caetana de Alba was an intellectually curious, intelligent and artistically adventurous girl. Her grandfather personally taught her philosophy and foreign languages, and did not send her (like many at that time) to the monastery school. High-quality home education had an impact on the fact that the girl was very selective about her surroundings. The Duchess's circle was made up of artists and scientists.

After her marriage to Duke José Alvarez de Toledo in 1776, she became the 13th Duchess of Alba. The couple was considered the richest in the Kingdom of Spain. In addition to her immense wealth, a mysterious relationship with the famous Spanish artist Francisco Goya contributed to a constant interest in her life and personality.

Acquaintance

The couple met when the Duchess was still a teenager. Goya visited her magnificent palaces many times to paint her portraits. In 1739, her husband died at the age of 39. This event made Caetana Alba the richest woman in Spain. A widow with a luxurious inheritance and an eligible bride. 34-year-old Alba, radiant with beauty and high status, moved to the family estate in Sanlúcar de Barrameda, near Cadiz, where she invited Goya. But Goya was not so successful during this period. Francisco Goye was already 50, he was deaf, and could not be cured of the debilitating illness of 1792. Goya was paralyzed, but now it is not possible to accurately diagnose the artist's illness. In any case, Goya's incurable deafness was the result of an illness he had suffered. In addition, the artist was in a deep personal crisis, his canvases turned into a chronicle of his nightmares (the well-known "black painting" of Goya). He was also married, which, to the surprise of many, did not prevent the artist from staying in the Duchess's house for six months.

Goya's escort of the newly widowed duchess, combined with some hints in her portraits, exacerbated rumors of their unprofessional relationship. It was a significant social inequality that Goya tried to overcome, but as an artist, not in love (as Goya's biographers believe). In turn, the duchess treated Goya like other members of her court, librarian, doctor, or butler. It is believed that at the first posing, Alba asked the artist to put makeup on her. Goya wrote in a letter: “A woman Alba came to my studio yesterday. She wanted me to paint her face, and she got her way. I certainly enjoy it more than painting on canvas."

The acquaintance did not last long. The Duchess died under very mysterious circumstances in July 1802 at the age of 40. Although it was said that the woman died as a result of tuberculosis and fever, over the years more curious scenarios of what happened were put forward, among which there were versions about poisoning.

But the most curious mystical story associated with Goya and Caetana Alba took place in 1945, many years after their death. The Madrid cemetery of San Isidro, where Goya is buried, was restored, the monuments and inscriptions on them were updated, the graves were moved, the repair work lasted more than a year. As a result of the restoration, the grave of the Duchess of Alba turned out to be opposite the Goya pantheon. They loved each other during life and were close after death.

Portraits with the Duchess

We see Caetana Alba in many of Francisco Goya's canvases. First of all, the artist created two stately official portraits of the Duchess: one in white, the other in black.

The white portrait reflects a girl with a high imperial waist and graceful simplicity (influenced by fashion in antiquity at the end of the 18th century). The dress is decorated with a bright red wide belt and bow, complemented by a coral necklace. Bows to match the dress are interspersed in the heroine's hair, and also adorn the dog. The Duchess's expression on the canvas is self-control and firmness. She appears natural and laid-back, displaying none of the obvious trappings of social status.

But in the black portrait there is one curious detail: two rings with the names of Alba and Goya are visible on the girl's hand. In addition, the hand points to the signature, which contains what the official documents cannot prove. This is, quite possibly, an argument about the true relationship between the model and the artist - "solo Goya" (only Goya). Such panegyrics (words of praise), praising the skill of painters, often appeared in the paintings of that time, but in this case, this phrase may have a different, hidden meaning.

We cannot fail to notice the exquisite outfit in the spirit of the end of the 18th century (the picture was painted in 1797). It is a black lace dress, with a red sash and gold elements (wrist decorations, dress lining and shoes). A thin black veil falls over her luxurious, jet-black and thick hair. Goya portrayed his beloved as a sophisticated Spanish beauty.

The heroine's special (in many respects scandalous) fame was given by two famous paintings by Goya, which are considered masterpieces of Spanish art - "Maja Nude" and "Maha Dressed".