La maja vestida
By Francisco Goya, 1800
Francisco Goya painted this elegant woman reclining on a cushioned sofa sometime around 1800-1805, creating one of the most famous portraits in Spanish art history. The woman, dressed in a flowing white gown with a golden jacket and matching shoes, gazes directly at the viewer with dark eyes and a knowing expression. Her relaxed pose and confident stare were quite bold for the time, suggesting an intimacy between subject and viewer that was unusual in formal portraiture. The identity of this "clothed maja" has been debated for centuries, with many believing she might be the Duchess of Alba, one of Goya's patrons and rumored romantic interest. What makes this painting especially intriguing is that Goya painted a companion piece showing the same woman in the same pose, but completely nude. That version caused quite a scandal and even got Goya into trouble with the Spanish Inquisition. The two paintings hung together in a private collection, with the clothed version concealing the nude one behind it.