3-097-662 - Heritage Art/Heritage Images

Ermesinda, 1854. Ermesinda (Hermesinda or Ormesinda), Queen of Asturias, was the wife of Alfonso I "the Catholic", King of Asturias (693-757). This imaginary portrait is part of the Chronological Series of the Kings of Spain. In 1847, José de Madrazo, as director of the Royal Museum, was commissioned by Isabella II to create an iconographic genealogy of all her royal ancestors. The project had a clear political purpose: to legitimize the sovereign's rights during a period characterized by a relentless struggle against female power. A considerable number of contemporary artists, both established and emerging, were involved in the commission, but almost all were associated with José de Madrazo's circle of patrons.