On-line gallery
- Reference number
- P02449
- Author
- Goya y Lucientes, Francisco de (Spanish)
- Title
- José Álvarez de Toledo, Marquis of Villafranca and Duke of Alba
- Chronology
- Ca. 1795
- Technique
- Support
- Measures
- 195 cm x 126 cm
- School
- Theme
- Shown
- Yes
- Entrance
- LEGADO
- Procedence
- Count of Niebla
José Álvarez de Toledo, Duke of
Alba and XI Marquis of Villafranca
was the husband of María Teresa de
Silva, Duchess of Alba. He is
portrayed full length, wearing a
yellowish frock coat, a
blue-speckled white vest, greenish
grey stockings and black riding
boots with spurs.
The Duke leans on a desk that bears
a violin and a black hat. In his
hands he holds the score to Four
Songs with Accompaniment by Franz
Joseph Haydn, whom this nobleman
had commissioned to write several
compositions.
These numerous details are far from
superfluous. They were subtly
introduced by Goya to bring out the
virtues of this personage, who was
a virtuoso musician and
multi-instrumentalist, though this
did not keep him from enjoying the
virile pastimes of aristocracy,
such as riding horses.
This, one of Goya's most beautiful
portraits, stands out not only for
its masterful pictorial technique
but also for the perfect
construction of the space, whose
perspective is accentuated by the
position of the desk.
Location on the map
