María del Pilar Teresa Cayetana de Silva y Silva-Bazán, 13th Duchess of Alba, GE (10 June 1762 – 23 July 1802), was a Spanish aristocrat and a popular subject of the painter Francisco de Goya.
The duchess' relationship with famed Spanish painter Francisco de Goya and her somewhat eccentric personality have contributed greatly to a continuing interest in her life during the two centuries since her death. Goya executed several well-known portraits of the duchess, most of them during his stay at Sanlúcar de Barrameda (one of the Andalusian country seats of the House of Medina Sidonia) shortly after the death in 1796 of her husband, who was also the 15th Duke of Medina Sidonia.
Goya's accompaniment of the recently widowed duchess, combined with certain innuendo expressed in his portraits of her, have exacerbated rumors that the two were lovers.[1] Although this has never been confirmed, the large number of portraits that the artist painted of the duchess suggests, at the very least, a close platonic relationship between the two.
The painting La maja desnuda, executed between 1797 and 1800 by Goya, has also been rumored to portray her. The painting, considered scandalous by Spanish society of the time, depicts a fully nude reclining woman. It, together with a companion piece depicting the same model clothed (La maja vestida), was commissioned by Spanish prime minister Manuel Godoy (the known lover of Spain's queen, María Luisa).
The true identity of the majas is uncertain. Many art historians over the years have rejected the possibility that the painting depicts the duchess, including Australian art critic Robert Hughes in his 2003 biography, Goya. Those scholars believe that the painting depicts either Godoy's young mistress, Pepita Tudó, or an idealized composite of several different models.[2]
Full Name With Titles
The Duchess's full name with titles in Spanish was Doña María del Pilar Teresa Cayetana de Silva Álvarez de Toledo y Silva Bazán, décimo tercera duquesa de Alba de Tormes, décima primera duquesa de Huéscar, sexta duquesa de Montoro, octava condesa-duquesa de Olivares, décimo primera marquesa del Carpio, décimo tercera marquesa de Coria, novena marquesa de Eliche, décimo segunda marquesa de Villanueva del Río, sexta marquesa de Tarazona, marquesa de Flechilla y Jarandilla, décimo primera condesa de Monterrey, décimo cuarta condesa de Lerín, décimo tercera condesa de Oropesa, décimo cuarta Condestablesa de Navarra, décimo segunda condesa de Galve, décimo cuarta condesa de Osorno, de jure duquesa de Galisteo, décimo primera condesa de Ayala, novena condesa de Fuentes de Valdepero, condesa de Alcaudete, condesa de Deleitosa, señora del estado de Valdecorneja, señora de las baronías de Dicastillo, San Martín, Curton y Guissens.
Death and succession
The duchess died under somewhat mysterious circumstances in July 1802 at the age of 40. Although her death was ostensibly due to tuberculosis and a fever, more colorful scenarios have been suggested over the years, among them a theory that she was poisoned (this theory was dramatized in the film The Naked Maja). She had no biological children, although she did have an adoptive daughter, known as María de la Luz.
After her death, the Alba ducal title passed to a relative, Carlos Miguel Fitz-James Stuart (1794–1835), who became the 14th Duke of Alba.
Ancestry
Ancestors of María Teresa de Silva, 13th Duchess of Alba
maría, cayetana, silva, 13th, duchess, alba, maría, pilar, teresa, cayetana, silva, silva, bazán, 13th, duchess, alba, june, 1762, july, 1802, spanish, aristocrat, popular, subject, painter, francisco, goya, maría, teresa, silvaduchess, albathe, 13th, duchess,. Maria del Pilar Teresa Cayetana de Silva y Silva Bazan 13th Duchess of Alba GE 10 June 1762 23 July 1802 was a Spanish aristocrat and a popular subject of the painter Francisco de Goya Maria Teresa de SilvaDuchess of AlbaThe 13th Duchess of Alba c 1805 Museo del Prado Madrid Full nameMaria del Pilar Teresa Cayetana de Silva y Silva BazanBorn 1762 06 10 10 June 1762Madrid SpainDied23 July 1802 1802 07 23 aged 40 Sanlucar la Mayor Andalusia SpainNoble familyHouse of SilvaHouse of AlbaSpouse s Jose Alvarez de Toledo Osorio 11th Marquess of VillafrancaIssueMaria de la Luz adopted FatherFrancisco de Silva y Alvarez de Toledo 10th Duke of HuescarMotherMariana de Silva Bazan y Sarmiento Contents 1 Biography 2 Full Name With Titles 3 Death and succession 4 Ancestry 5 Images by Francisco de Goya 5 1 Doubted to represent the duchess 6 References 7 Sources 8 External linksBiography EditMaria Teresa as she was called in her family became the 13th Duchess of Alba in 1776 after inheriting the title from her paternal grandfather Fernando de Silva 12th Duke of Alba who outlived her father Her marriage the year before to Jose Alvarez de Toledo Osorio 11th Marquess of Villafranca a male line descendant of Fadrique Alvarez de Toledo 2nd Duke of Alba made her and her husband the wealthiest couple in the Kingdom of Spain Their only rivals to this status were the House of Osuna The duchess relationship with famed Spanish painter Francisco de Goya and her somewhat eccentric personality have contributed greatly to a continuing interest in her life during the two centuries since her death Goya executed several well known portraits of the duchess most of them during his stay at Sanlucar de Barrameda one of the Andalusian country seats of the House of Medina Sidonia shortly after the death in 1796 of her husband who was also the 15th Duke of Medina Sidonia Goya s accompaniment of the recently widowed duchess combined with certain innuendo expressed in his portraits of her have exacerbated rumors that the two were lovers 1 Although this has never been confirmed the large number of portraits that the artist painted of the duchess suggests at the very least a close platonic relationship between the two The painting La maja desnuda executed between 1797 and 1800 by Goya has also been rumored to portray her The painting considered scandalous by Spanish society of the time depicts a fully nude reclining woman It together with a companion piece depicting the same model clothed La maja vestida was commissioned by Spanish prime minister Manuel Godoy the known lover of Spain s queen Maria Luisa The true identity of the majas is uncertain Many art historians over the years have rejected the possibility that the painting depicts the duchess including Australian art critic Robert Hughes in his 2003 biography Goya Those scholars believe that the painting depicts either Godoy s young mistress Pepita Tudo or an idealized composite of several different models 2 Full Name With Titles EditThe Duchess s full name with titles in Spanish was Dona Maria del Pilar Teresa Cayetana de Silva Alvarez de Toledo y Silva Bazan decimo tercera duquesa de Alba de Tormes decima primera duquesa de Huescar sexta duquesa de Montoro octava condesa duquesa de Olivares decimo primera marquesa del Carpio decimo tercera marquesa de Coria novena marquesa de Eliche decimo segunda marquesa de Villanueva del Rio sexta marquesa de Tarazona marquesa de Flechilla y Jarandilla decimo primera condesa de Monterrey decimo cuarta condesa de Lerin decimo tercera condesa de Oropesa decimo cuarta Condestablesa de Navarra decimo segunda condesa de Galve decimo cuarta condesa de Osorno de jure duquesa de Galisteo decimo primera condesa de Ayala novena condesa de Fuentes de Valdepero condesa de Alcaudete condesa de Deleitosa senora del estado de Valdecorneja senora de las baronias de Dicastillo San Martin Curton y Guissens Death and succession EditThe duchess died under somewhat mysterious circumstances in July 1802 at the age of 40 Although her death was ostensibly due to tuberculosis and a fever more colorful scenarios have been suggested over the years among them a theory that she was poisoned this theory was dramatized in the film The Naked Maja She had no biological children although she did have an adoptive daughter known as Maria de la Luz After her death the Alba ducal title passed to a relative Carlos Miguel Fitz James Stuart 1794 1835 who became the 14th Duke of Alba Ancestry EditAncestors of Maria Teresa de Silva 13th Duchess of Alba16 Gregorio de Silva 9th Duke of Infantado8 Manuel Jose de Silva 10th Count of Galve17 Maria Mendez de Haro y Fernandez de Cordoba4 Fernando de Silva 12th Duke of Alba18 Francisco Alvarez de Toledo 10th Duke of Alba9 Maria Teresa Alvarez de Toledo 11th Duchess of Alba19 Catalina Mendez de Haro 8th Marquise of the Carpio2 Francisco de Silva 10th Duke of Huescar20 Manuel de Toledo y Portugal 8th Count of Oropesa10 Vicente Alvarez de Toledo 9th Count of Oropesa21 Isabel Maria Tellez Giron5 Ana Maria Bernarda Alvarez de Toledo y Fernandez de Cordoba22 Luis Fernandez de Cordoba 7th Marquis of Priego11 Maria de la Encarnacion Fernandez de Cordoba y de la Cerda23 Feliche Maria de la Cerda y Aragon1 Maria del Pilar de Silva 13th Duchess of Alba24 Pedro de Silva 12th Count of Cifuentes12 Jose de Silva y Fernandez de Cordoba25 Elena Fernandez de Cordoba y Sfrondrati di Masibradi6 Pedro de Silva Bazan 8th Marquis of Santa Cruz26 Artal de Alagon 5th Marquis of Villasor13 Manuela de Alagon 6th Marquise of Villasor27 Ana Maria de Pimentel y Benavides de Bazan3 Mariana de Silva Bazan y Sarmiento28 Jose Salvador Sarmiento y Zuniga14 Jose Sarmiento 5th Count of Salvatierra29 Maria Victoria Fernandez de Velasco y Carvajal7 Maria Cayetana Sarmiento 4th Marquise of Arcicollar30 Francisco Melchor Davila 8th Marquis of Loriana15 Leonor Davila 8th Marquise of Baides31 Aloysia de Zuniga 6th Marquise of BaidesImages by Francisco de Goya Edit The White Duchess 1795 The Duchess of Alba and la Beata 1795 The Duchess of Alba Arranging her Hair 1796 The Black Duchess 1797 Doubted to represent the duchess Edit La maja desnuda La maja vestidaReferences Edit Portrait of the Duchess of Alba the Black Duchess Goya The Clothed Maja and the Nude Maja the Prado Archived 2007 10 12 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 27 July 2007Sources EditHobbs Nicolas 2007 Grandes de Espana in Spanish Archived from the original on 2006 11 29 Retrieved 15 October 2008 Instituto de Salazar y Castro Elenco de Grandezas y Titulos Nobiliarios Espanoles in Spanish periodic publication External links Edit Media related to Maria Cayetana de Silva 13th Duchess of Alba at Wikimedia CommonsSpanish nobilityPreceded byFernando de Silva Duchess of Alba1776 1802 Succeeded byCarlos Fitz James StuartPreceded byFrancisco de Silva Duchess of Huescar1770 1776Italian nobilityPreceded byFernando de Silva Countess of Modica1776 1802 Succeeded byCarlos Fitz James Stuart Retrieved from 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