The elegant pose of the sitter to the left of a classical column in the present work lies outside the typical canon of Romero de Torres' dark Andalusian beauties. Very likely the lover of the artist's friend Torres Arias, the lady's stance is notably formal and more portrait-like than his archetypal muses. The background includes no religious or local Cordoban reference, instead three roses replace the customary glimpse of a distant view of a specific church or place. The sitter does, however, wear the mantilla and peineta, accessories typically associated with the regional costume of Andalusia and of the female dancers of flamenco, both of which inspired the artist's work. Women of all social classes posed for Romero (Spanish, 1874 - 1930) at his easel, from prostitutes to society hostesses, and when he died, every shop, theatre and bar in Córdoba closed its doors and the whole city poured onto the streets for his funeral.
[Sotheby’s, London - Oil on canvas, 90 x 100 cm]