We did not make it to the Prado today, however yesterday we had two paintings that really made an impression, so I decided to go ahead and write about this one today. The rooms that we went through yesterday were 19th century Spanish painters. Rosales had a very loose, flowy style. Madrazo, on the other hand, has a much more detail oriented style. He makes fantastic use of lighting details, and his subjects pop off the canvass like they are touchable. He makes hair look soft and luscious, skin look smooth, and fabric look silky. The painting that really caught our attention is this one of Amalia de Llano y Dotres, Condesa de Vilches.

According to the plaque on the wall, Amalia was great friends with Madrazo. She was a writer and a thinker. The description talks about how she’s seductive, and such, but I disagreed. Looking at this painting, she looks flat out happy. Her cute smile and playful eyes fill the entire room, and one is lost in the luxuriant surroundings, transported to another time through the window of the canvas. Odd to note, the picture of the painting makes her look much more seductive than in person. Something about the reproduction of the painting steals her soul and makes her have a different energy. When one is in the room with her, one can imagine Madrazo asking her to pose, and she responds, coqueta, of course I’ll pose for your silly painting! Her blue dress falls gracefully on the chair, and she holds her fan as though she forgot it was there with the amusement of this pose. Madrazo’s mastery of detail and the playful joy of this painting keeps you completely captivated, and will leave you smiling and feeling happy yourself, as you move on to other works, perhaps with a little spring in your step.