Leonilla, My Princess.

Portrait of Princess Leonilla Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn, Franz Xaver Wonterhalter, 1843.

Of all the paintings I have ever bore witness to, this is my absolute favorite. I remember when I first laid eyes on her, 3 years ago at the Getty Museum in Los Angeles. All I could do was stare, standing paralyzed atop the marble floor & soaking up all of her uncharted magnificence. I was taken by her beauty, her aloof yet enchanting gaze, the way she playfully toys with her pearls, & the relaxed elegance she exudes. Wonterhalter scores- with his use of rich, luxurious textures, brilliant colors, sumptuous materials, and his breathtaking Turkish seascape. A German Princess from the land of Sayn, Leonilla will forever lock the land of my heart.