Portret van Keizerin Maria Theresia van Oostenrijk (1717-1780) c. 1765 - 1791

Ignaz Manzador painted this portrait of Empress Maria Theresa of Austria around the 1770s. The eye is immediately drawn to the stark contrast between the figure's dark, voluminous dress and the airy, light-filled background. The dress, a complex structure of tiered layers and intricate lace, dominates the composition, dwarfing the figure. The artist juxtaposes the dress with the precise geometry of the tiled floor and the ordered landscape, creating a sense of depth and perspective. The choice of color is particularly striking. The somber black of the dress, rendered with meticulous detail, contrasts sharply with the pastel hues of the background. This contrast could be interpreted through the semiotic lens of power and representation, where color and form reflect the subject's status. The artist uses these formal elements to negotiate the relationship between the individual and their role within the societal structure. The artist's work challenges fixed meanings, and engages with the cultural and philosophical discourse of the time.