The Duchess of Alba and la Beata The Duchess of Alba and la Beata The Duchess of Alba and "la Beata" (or The Duchess of Alba and the Pious Woman; Spanish: La duquesa de Alba y su dueña o La Duquesa de Alba y "la Beata") is a small 1795 oil on canvas painting by the Spanish artist Francisco Goya. It portrays the Duchess María Cayetana de Silva, 13th Duchess of Alba reaching playfully towards her maid (or "duena") Rafaela Luisa Velazquez (known as "la Beata"), who leans away. María holds a red cord under the chin of the older woman, which seems to scare her as
Cayetana Fitz-James Stuart, 18th Duchess of Alba Cathedral by Msgr. Carlos Amigo Vallejo where the Royal Family were represented by the Infanta Elena. Cayetana's patriline is the line from which she is descended via her father's direct male lineage, father to son. Patrilineal descent is the principle behind membership in Ducal Houses, as it can be traced back through the generations – which means that Cayetana's "historically accurate" House name is FitzJames-Stuart. Cayetana Fitz-James Stuart, 18th Duchess of Alba María del Rosario Cayetana Fitz-James Stuart y Silva, 18th Duchess of Alba, GE, OIC, OSH, DOA, OAX, OSG, OPC (28 March 1926 – 20 November 2014), was head