Chiton

In the centre of the picture we can see a young woman dressed entirely in black with her face almost covered by a mantilla. She is addressing a bent old woman leaning on a cane and holding a rosary in her hands. The young woman places her index finger over her mouth and asks her to keep the secret she has entrusted to her. The scene takes place in an open space, as the thick trunk of a tree stands out in the background.

Ayala's manuscript states the following about this work: "Ladies of distinction sometimes make use of those wretched old women who stand at the doors of churches to carry love notes". This idea is reiterated in the manuscript in the Prado Museum and the National Library.

In short, Goya criticised those ladies of high society who made use of such disreputable characters as some of the old women who prayed at the entrance to the temples to bring tickets to their lovers or for even more reprehensible deals.