Portrait of Anita Ramírez in Black by Ignacio Zuloaga y Zabaleta
Captivated by the vivid nightlife of Parisian cabarets, Zuloaga painted its colorful performers, including the dancer Anita Ramírez. In keeping with the dramatic flair of her profession, Ramírez matches her almost theatrical costuming in a Spanish mantilla (a veil traditionally associated with modesty and decorum) with her confrontational gaze and cheeky pose. The painter explores the play of light over the shiny black satin of the dancer's form-fitting dress as well as the gauzy texture of the long, translucent lace veil. The commanding Ramírez poses against a view of Segovia's famous sixteenth-century cathedral and ancient city walls.
