All I can find about her is this, approximately from the Prado's notes for this work, "Josefa Coello de Portugal y Quesada was sister of, among others, Colonel Francisco Coello (1822-1898), a renowned cartographer and military history scholar and diplomat Diego Coello (1820 1897), Member of Parliament in various legislatures and senator of the Kingdom. At about seventeen, in 1841, Josefa married in Madrid the Aragonese Alejandro Oliván Borruel (1796-1878), from a prominent military family, conservative political thinker, and writer on administrative law. One of her husband’s sisters would also marry a military brother of the sitter. They were parents of Colonel Rafael Coello de Portugal (1868-1953), Spanish Minister of the Interior in 1921. Oliván was also Minister of Marine in 1847, Senator of the Kingdom, President of the Society of Mining, Knight of the Order of Carlos III, member of the Royal Spanish Academy of Moral and Political Sciences, and also member of the Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando. Madrazo y Kunz was president of the Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando."
From the museum's Web site.
This portrait of Josefa Coello shows what formal dress looks like on the verge of the cage crinoline era. The lace and ribbon skirt ornaments are spectacular. The center of her bodice is flanked by rever-like lace strips that curve over her shoulders.
Keywords: 1855, Madrazo y Kunz, María Josefa Coello de Portugal y Quesada, Josefa Coello de Portugal, Borruel family, straight coiffure, off shoulder bee waistline, chemise, modesty piece, revers, lace, quarter length tight sleeves, cuffs, vee waistline, full skirt, lace skirt ornaments, bows, order sash, earrings, brooch, jeweled bodice ornament, braclets, handkerchief, wrap