Manuela De Errazu 1880

Editor: Raimundo de Madrazo's portrait of "Manuela de Errazu," painted around 1880, certainly commands attention here at the Prado. The opulence of the gown strikes me immediately, a frilly pink explosion against the more somber backdrop. What captures your attention most when you view this painting? Curator: Oh, the dress definitely whispers stories, doesn’t it? For me, it's how Madrazo uses that very realistic, almost photographic style to hint at something deeper. Look at her face; there's a kind of wistful detachment, isn't there? Almost like she's both present and a million miles away. Editor: I hadn’t noticed that before, actually. I was so caught up in the material. Do you think the artist was trying to make a comment about the constraints placed on women of that era? Curator: That's certainly one way to interpret it! Remember, this was a time of intense social change, but also rigid expectations. The dress itself, that gorgeous, flamboyant confection, becomes a kind of gilded cage, wouldn’t you say? Almost a visual metaphor. Though, knowing Madrazo's own society circles, perhaps it’s just a fabulous dress… art can hold multiple truths! Editor: A fabulous dress as a gilded cage, I love that image! So much for me to consider! Curator: Exactly! Now go forth and look for those stories in the strokes, in the gaze, in every silken rustle. And, sometimes, in the fabulous, slightly tragic, dress.