Retrato de una (Portrait of a lady)

The painting "Retrato de una dama" or "Damenportrait" by Mexican artist Alberto Fuster, a talented symbolist painter who had a rich education in European art. The artwork depicts a young woman looking to the left, she seems come from European ancestry due to her features. In addition, from her garments the viewer can deduce the woman's social status, she is wearing a black dress with a white crinoline collar which comes up to behind her neck. Her jewelry consists of a long gold necklace and pearls earrings, furthermore, her dress it is being held by a wide gold belt. She can be found sitting on a red chair, only the back of the chair is recognizable, on the sides of the support two heads of unidentified animals are forged into them, with gold ring on each nose. In addition, Fusters paintings are usually recognized for their technical precision and attention to detail, specially by his great treatment of the figures demonstrating the strong impact from his European education in art. However, his roots in Tlacotalpan, Veracruz, had a major influence on his paintings and his constant travels to his hometown brought them a distinctive Mexican style, that set him apart from European painters. In consequence, he won great recognition across the country, specially in his hometown where most of his paintings are located.