Maria Bárbara of Braganza (1711–1758), eldest daughter of King João V of Portugal and Queen Maria Ana of Austria, married the Prince of Asturias, the future King Ferdinand VI of Spain, in 1729. The marriage formed part of a diplomatic rapprochement between the Portuguese and Spanish monarchies, marked by the dynastic exchange known as the Exchange of Princesses. Queen Consort of Spain from 1746, she was a notable patron of the arts, particularly music.
Half-length portrait of Princess Maria Bárbara, depicted in three-quarter view against a dark background. She wears formal court dress with an ornamented neckline and a mantle draped over her shoulders. The composition follows the conventions of 18th-century aristocratic and royal portraiture.