Maria de las Nieves Micaela Fourdinier 1785

Luis Paret y Alcázar painted this oil on canvas portrait of Maria de las Nieves Micaela Fourdinier in Spain, sometime in the late 18th century. Paret was a court painter, so he understood the role of art in constructing an image of power and status. Here, Maria is depicted with fashionable, elaborate hair and clothing, set against a backdrop that suggests wealth and privilege. The bird and open cage might symbolize Maria's own social confinement, or perhaps a longing for freedom, while the act of releasing the bird could suggest a sense of her own agency. The social conditions of 18th-century Spain, with its rigid class structure and the power of the monarchy, shaped the production and reception of art like this portrait. By studying the history of the Spanish court and the social customs of the time, we can better understand the complex meanings embedded in this image. Art history, after all, is a social history.