Goya was very
unflattering with Maria Luisa, yet he portrayed her many times including here
in 1789. Maybe nobody dared to speak truth to her power and tell her to find
another portraitist or stop posing for portraits altogether.
Posted as a replacement image on 18 June 2012; upper edge fixed and spots removed with Photoshop by gogm.
Luis Ortiz Rodriguez mentions this portrait as being a good example of the tontillo, a variant of the gurdainfante. He also points out that the words "tontillo" and "panniers" refer to the same garment and the Spanish were weary of being a sort of satellite of France (Spanish styles will appear as distinct albums beginning with the Revolutionary albums until the homogenization of fashion in the Belle Époque).
Keywords: 1789, Goya, Maria Luisa de Parma, Bourbon family, Borbon family, Princess, Queen, Spanish, bouffant curly coiffure, jeweled feathered hat, square neckline, modesty piece, fichu, bertha, elbow length tight sleeves, engageantes, vee waistline, panniers, necklace, jeweled bodice ornament, jeweled arm bands, shoes, tontillo