The Ugly Duchess

The Subject and Composition

The painting is a portrait of an elderly woman, depicted from just above the waist up. She is presented with striking and exaggerated facial features, including a large head, a prominent nose with nostrils that flare upward, and a face covered in deep wrinkles and pocked textures. Her neck appears long and thin, and she possesses a prominent wart on her right cheek. The subject wears a substantial, elaborately embroidered horned headdress, also described as an escoffion, and a low-cut white dress. She is adorned with jewelry and a necklace, and she holds a single red rosebud in her right hand. The background of the image is blurry, ensuring the focus remains entirely on the woman's features.

Technical Details and Medium

This artwork is an oil on panel. The artist utilized a meticulous technique, layering pinks with red and white dots to achieve the weathered appearance of the skin. The fine embroidery on the cuff and the details near the ear demonstrate the use of the sgraffito technique, where paint is scratched away to reveal underlying layers. The light catches the gold and pearl of the brooch with clarity. The work is presented in a simple dark brown frame.