Portrait of Feliche de la Cerda y Aragón, 7th Marquise of Priego

Carreño de Miranda, Juan
Circa 1675

The Medinaceli collection contains two female portraits painted by Juan Carreño Miranda that are very similar in composition, quality, beauty and size. Both have a very similar range of colours, with a predominance of dark tones, among which the delicate whiteness of the puffed sleeves stands out, contrasting with the brightness of the black velvet strips and the flowers adorning their hairstyles. With such similarities it is reasonable that it is not easy to identify the sitter.

This portrait has traditionally been identified with the third daughter of the 8th Duke of Medinaceli, Feliche de la Cerda y Aragón, who married Luis Mauricio Fernández de Córdoba in 1675 when he was already 7th Marquis of Priego and 7th Duke of Feria. Due to the death without succession of her brother Luis, the famous viceroy of Naples, it was she who passed on the House of Medinaceli to the House of Priego. However, Alfonso Pérez Sánchez, without rejecting this identification, considers it more plausible to date both portraits to the 1660s, while P. López Vizcaino and A.M. Carreño (2007), without specifying the date of the portraits, consider them to be from the 1660s. Carreño (2007), without specifying the date, consider this portrait to be from the 1660s. "the neckline flange, and above all the hair arrangement, more akin to Velázquez's period."Therefore, a few years before 1660. Both dates make it impossible to identify her with Feliche de la Cerda born in 1657.

TECHNIQUE

Oil

SUPPORT

Canvas

DIMENSIONS

Height: 205.00cm; Width: 127.00 cm

LOCATION

Pilate's House