![]() |
Courtesy of www.diego-velazquez.org |
The Lady with a Fan is one of Velázquez's most famous paintings, yet the identity of the sitter remains a mystery. It has been suggested that it may portray either the artist's wife, Juana de Miranda, his own daughter, Francisca, or the exiled Marie de Rohan, duchesse de Chevreuse (1600-79). The closely observed features, severe gaze, sober palette and prominently displayed rosary lend the picture an aura of intensity and enigma that has long fascinated viewers: indeed the French art historian Thoré-Bürger claimed that there was no other painting that better represented the art of Velázquez and Spain.
MOST POPULAR PAINTINGS
The Surrender of Breda
The Triumph of Bacchus
Las Meninas
Rokeby Venus
Christ on the Cross
The Forge of Vulcan
The Spinners
Old Woman Frying Eggs