Kindness
1806.Room 062
Marcela de Valencia y Codallos, Countess of Casa Valencia, was born in Madrid. She was not born in Colombia, as had been believed since her parents, Francisco de Valencia y Sáenz del Pontón, Count of Casa Valencia, and María Josefa Codallos, lived there. Similar to some other ladies of the Spanish nobility, such as the Marchioness of Santa Cruz, the artist produced miniatures. In 1805 she presented a composition for examination at the Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando. It depicted Saint Sebastian attended by Saint Irene, a copy of a work by Luca Giordano (RABASF, inv. 455), for which she was appointed an academic of merit.
At the Exhibition of the Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando in 1806 she presented Three Women, miniatures, and in 1807, Head of a Woman, a miniature. The work proposed for acquisition may be related to one of these works. According to the inventory compiled on 1 January 1808 by Frédéric Quilliet, it was in Manuel Godoy’s collection that year. The miniature Kindness is listed as a work by Marcela de Valencia. This title coincides with that which appears in the autograph inscription on the reverse of the work. The author probably presented it to Manuel Godoy as a gift in 1806 along with two other miniatures titled Jugadores and Las Gracias and which were also listed in the inventory.
The lady is dressed and coiffed in the Empire style. She is wearing gold hoop earrings, and a brooch is pinned to her dress. On her head is a tiara decorated with a cameo depicting a laureate head in profile. It is unclear whether the allegory represents the artist herself. The acquisition of this work adds to the small number of female painters in the Prado’s collections.
Barón, Javier, 'Marcerla de Valencia y Codallos. La Amabilidad'. en: Memoria de actividades 2021 Museo Nacional del Prado, Ministerio de Cultura y Deporte, 2022, p.34-35
