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Portrayed in more than half-length, Catalina Micaela (1567-1597) wears an entirely black dress with lace collar and cuffs, inner sleeves of golden white and white ribbons. Her rich jewellery comprises a double string of pearls, a necklace, worked golden buttons and a belt. As in other court portraits, she rests her hand on an armchair in allusion to her high birth, while the other holds a feminine object, in this case, her gloves.
The painting is Sánchez Coello's only portrait of the adult Infanta, made shortly before she left for Savoy. It is one of the painter's most-valued works. A gradual abandonment of meticulousness, the free and loose brushstrokes clearly visible in the hair and headdress, and the range of colours used on the face all reveal Titian's influence.
Some authors attribute this painting to Sofonisba Anguissola.
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