Doña Joanna the Mad

Doña Juana "la Loca" by Francisco Pradilla

Doña Joanna the Mad (Spanish: Doña Juana la Loca) is an oil on canvas painting by the Spanish painter Francisco Pradilla, created in 1877. It is currently displayed at the Museo del Prado in Madrid, Spain.^[1]

The painting was created and sent from Rome, and it was so successful that many copies of the original were eventually made. The painting is a remarkable example of the Spanish historical painting genre. It obtained the medal of honor in the National Exposition of Fine Arts (Spanish: Exposición Nacional de Bellas Artes) of 1878, as well as having success in the Universal Expositions of Paris in 1878, as well as that of Berlin.

In the painting, Pradilla represents Joanna of Castile watching over the casket of her dead husband, Philip I of Castile. She stands upright with an expression of emptiness on her lean face and hands clenched at her side. Around her, the courtiers gather with varied expressions.

The effects of lighting have been described as reminiscent of Rembrandt. Perhaps most admirable about the painting and what impresses professionals most however, is the skill of the composition in portraying the harmoniously arranged surrounding figures and the resulting mood that is created.

References

1. "Doña Juana la Loca" (in Spanish). Museo del Prado. Retrieved 23 July 2015.