María del Pilar Teresa Cayetana de Silva y Álvarez de Toledo, 13th Duchess of Alba

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Doña María del Pilar Teresa Cayetana de Silva y Álvarez de Toledo, 13th Duchess of Alba (Spanish: décimotercera duquesa de Alba, 1762 – 1802) is best known as a patron and muse to the painter Francisco Goya. She was the main heiress of the ducal House of Alba, one of the most important and wealthiest families of 18th-century Spain, and is often referred to simply as the "Duchess of Alba", being duchess suo jure.

According to contemporary reports, the duchess was a woman of exceptional beauty, charm, intelligence and wit. She was married to Don José Álvarez de Toledo y Gonzaga, 13th Duke of Alba. The two of them became patrons of Goya and set up a studio for him at their Madrid palace. Daily observation in proximity to the life of the palace resulted in an "anecdotal" cabinet painting, in which the young son of the chamberlain Luis Berganza and the dark-skinned girl adopted by the duchess María de la Luz are having fun with a servant. The old woman, known for her piety as "La Beata", is seeking refuge with a priest, whose presence is suggested by the figure dressed in black at the edge of the picture.

In 1796-97 Goya created a series of pen-and-ink drawings in which he paid tribute to female beauty. The motifs of the papers from the early Albums A and B are drawn on both sides, and are characterised by an erotic air. Because of her facial features, the dark-haired duchess was a popular motif for the artist.

The shimmering personality of the duchess and her relationship to Goya are legendary. The artist's move to Sanlúcar (the Andalusian country seat of the Duchess of Alba) shortly after the death of the duke in 1796, led to speculations about a love affair between the artist and the widowed duchess. In his novel Goya, Lion Feuchtwanger painted the legendary relationship in shimmering colours. A more recent novelization is the Last Portrait of the Duchess of Alba by Antonio Larreta.

The Duchess died somewhat mysteriously in July 1802 at age 40, ostensibly because of a fever; however, more colorful scenarios are given in the novels. She had no children of her own except for her adopted daughter María de la Luz.es:María del Pilar Teresa Cayetana de Silva y Álvarez de Toledo