María Teresa by Diego Velázquez - 1651–54 - 34.3 x 40 cm Metropolitan Museum of Art María Teresa by Diego Velázquez - 1651–54 - 34.3 x 40 cm Metropolitan Museum of Art

María Teresa

oil on canvas • 34.3 x 40 cm
  • Diego Velázquez - baptized on June 6, 1599 - August 6, 1660 Diego Velázquez 1651–54

María Teresa was the daughter of King Philip IV of Spain. She became the presumptive heir to the throne upon the death of her brother in 1646. Princely suitors from around Europe were keen to have a portrait of the young infanta as she reached marriageable age. Well, the portrait worked - in 1660 the infanta secured an important political alliance by marrying Louis XIV, her first cousin, and becoming queen of France. Yes, THAT Louis XIV. 

Originally bust length but subsequently cut down and then reenlarged at the bottom, this likeness of María Teresa wearing a wig with butterfly ribbons may have served as a model for assistants in Velázquez's workshop to copy as they met the demand for official portraits of the young princess. 

Famed for her virtue and piety, she saw five of her six children die in early childhood, and is frequently viewed as an object of pity in historical accounts of her husband's reign, since she had no choice but to tolerate his many illicit love affairs.

See you tomorrow!

We need your help - we need $20,000 to create the new version of DailyArt for Android devices. Find out more here. Thank you!