Portrait of Manuel Godoy
| Portrait of Manuel Godoy | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Artist | Francisco Goya |
| Year | 1801 |
| Medium | Oil on canvas |
| Dimensions | 180 cm × 267 cm (71 in × 105 in) |
| Location | Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando, Madrid |
Portrait of Manuel Godoy is a large 1801 oil-on-canvas painting by the
Francisco de Goya, now in the Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando. It was commissioned by the Spanish Prime Minister Manuel Godoy to commemorate his victory in the brief War of the Oranges against Portugal
.
The portrait is an incisive psychological characterisation. The subject's self belief is depicted via his unusual reclining posture, the surrounding horses, and the phallic baton situated between his legs.[1] The painting metaphorically places Godoy sitting at the apex of the Spanish government. The artist captures Godoy's arrogance through his posture, and the inclusion of Portuguese flags.[2] The choice of lighting gives intensity to the piece.
In 1801 Godoy was the height of his power, having won in the
Caprichos
with extreme favour, as if he himself had seen them published.
See also
References
Sources
- Bozal, Valeriano. Francisco Goya, vida y obra. Madrid, 2005. ISBN 84-96209-39-3.
- Braham, Allan. "Goya's Equestrian Portrait of the Duke of Wellington". Burlington Magazine##, Vol. 108, No. 765, December 1966
- Glendinning, Nigel. "The Strange Translation of Goya's Black Paintings". The Burlington Magazine, Volume 117, No. 868, 1975
- Hagen, Rose-Marie & Hagen, Rainer. Francisco Goya, 1746–1828. London: ISBN 978-3-8228-1823-7
- ISBN 978-0-394-58028-9
External links
Media related to Manuel Godoy as General (Goya - Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando) at Wikimedia Commons
