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
Witches' Sabbath (The Great He-Goat) and "Judith and Holofernes". "Leocadia", "Two Old Men" and "Two Old Men Eating Soup" were on the left wall. Art historian Lawrence Gowing observed that the lower floor was divided thematically, with a male side – "Saturn" and "A Pilgrimage to San Isidro" – and a female side – "Judith and Holofernes", "Witches' Sabbath" and "Leocadia". The house changed owners a number of times before March 1873, when it came into the possession of the Belgian Frédéric Émile d'Erlanger, who speculated that the area would appreciate in value over the coming years. The murals had deteriorated badly after many years