This portrait of José Rebolledo de Palafox y Melci (1775-1847), Field Marshal of Saragossa, commemorates his defense of the city in 1808 when it was besieged by the French during the War of Independence. Palafox became a symbol of patriotic resistence to the invader when he refused to capitulate despite the terrible state in which his city and its defenders found themselves.

Goya seems to have taken advantage of this slightly theatrical composition to bring out the model's vanity. Indeed, it was Palafox himself who commissioned the work in 1814. Still, this painting's extremely rich and careful technique is outstanding.

This portrait was bequeathed to the Prado Museum by Francisco Palafox y Soler, the General's son.