Girl with Mantilla
We don’t know anything about this sculptor, but we do know that Sir Merton Russell-Cotes favoured artists who taught formally in academies and art schools – seeing it a benchmark of quality.
Mantillas are traditional lace shawls or head coverings worn in Spain from the late 16th century by women when attending church to cover their hair as prescribed in the Bible (1 Corinthians 11:2–10). Sometimes supported by a comb, Peineta, the wearing of mantillas was encouraged by Spain’s Queen Isabella II (1830-1904) but nowadays they are worn only during Holy Week, bullfights and weddings.
Thanks to the art of Goya, Velázquez and others, mantillas became symbolic of Spain and Spanish culture and there are many depictions of them in our collections.
