Paintings on Loan to Art Institute of Chicago

On view at the Art Institute of Chicago are four portraits from the Carl & Marilynn Thoma Art Foundation’s collection of Art of the Spanish Americas. Included are two portraits of a husband and wife, Antonio de Ulloa de la Torre-Guiral and Francisca Ramírez de Laredo y de Ulloa.

From The Art Institute of Chicago: “This portrait pair of Antonio de Ulloa and his wife, Francisca, not only serves as a tribute to the couple’s marriage, but also gives visual form to the transnational character of their lives and his career. Born in Seville, Spain, Ulloa worked on a scientific expedition to Ecuador, held governorships in colonial Peru and Louisiana, and participated in intellectual dialogues across Enlightenment-era Europe. The books, map, and compass prominently featured in his portrait emphasize Ullloa’s contributions to the pursuit of knowledge, while the finery of Francisca’s dress points to the global circulation of material goods and artistic influence in the 18th century.”

For more information, visit The Art Institute of Chicago’s American Art Department.

Unidentified Artist, Spain, Portrait of Francisca Ramírez de Laredo y de Ulloa, c. 1768–70, oil on canvas.