The oil portrait of Dona was painted by Goya around 1805 and depicts Isabel Lobo Velasco de Porcel. This half-length portrait shows a young woman dressed in typical Spanish attire, a white shirt and a black mantilla (a traditional Spanish lace shawl). 

The composition of the painting – the lighting on the face of the subject, the muted yet descriptive colours used and the traditional Spanish costume worn, have been deliberately chosen by the artist to give an indication of this woman’s social class, status and personality, also the manner in which she is posed; facing away from the artist with her pale neck exposed with rosy cheeks and left hand on her hip all combine to accentuate her youth but also her strength.

It is the idea of feminine strength which drew me to the portrait – vulnerable yet voracious.

I painted and printed my own ‘dona’ on canvas using acrylic and house paint and then monoprinted backgrounds of acrylic colour with varying thickness and transparency. I had to pack the back of my canvas in order to print directly onto it on a screen bed, but through these printed sections I stamped patterns directly onto the surface of the canvas (using corks and plastic bottle tops) to exaggerate the texture and energy within this piece. I also used my own photographic hand and eyes within the painting and used black lace in collage form to depict the ‘mantilla'. In fact, the eyes of the subject are my focus and I have experimented with photographic and painted versions. She follows you around the room like a ‘Cluedo’ character - Miss Scarlett or Dr. Orchid. Abstract bubbles containing more of my figurative females have been silkscreen printed as a background for a stencil version of this work too. (see next blog entry).

My absolute favourite 'dona' design is my digital version where I have combined a series of random nude life drawings with my vibrant plump, bubble red background and scanned in a hand stencil painted portrait – in my opinion the curved themes within this example emphasis her strength of character are most effective. (see www.clarewyattart.com ) 

The Spanish painter's works give intimate insight into his subjects’ psychology and incisive social commentary on a dramatic period of Spanish history.
The decisive gesture of her arms and her confidence stand out. Her eyes and hair are light brown, her skin is pale, and her body is slightly turned to the left side, while her head gives balance by being turned to the opposite side. Goya achieves realism and deepness without adding secondary objects to the composition. One of the unique aspects of this painting is that the woman is looking towards the left side of the viewer and not towards him, which is the case of the majority of Goya's paintings.
http://www.historytoday.com/kate-wiles/goya-portraits