Lady with Black Mantilla (Dama con mantilla negra)

The unidentified sitter appears to have belonged to Goya's circle of friends in Bordeaux, as the playful pose in which the artist has represented her indicates. The half-length portrait shows her turning to the left but with her head turned towards the viewer. She wears a black dress, black mantilla and ornamental comb. The sketchy technique and the glazes that the artist used can be seen in the area of the neckline, where the skin is revealed. The lace frames the happy smiling face of the model and her rosy cheeks. The neutral background is made up of a flatly applied grey, the same colour Goya used for the details on the mantilla.