This painting, prepared by Paret in an excellent drawing (British Museum in London, inv. 1890,1209.50) and titled Baile in máscara (The Masked Ball), on a cartouche as a kind of label, is one of the earliest known works by the artist. It demonstrates great technical and compositional skill in arranging a subtly illuminated interior filled with a multitude of figures. The varied dress, poses and expressions of these figures are conveyed with surprising clarity despite their tiny size and, in the case of those in the background, their sketched nature. By indicating in his elegantly brushed signature his age of only 20 years old on 11 February 1766, there is no doubt that the artist wished to emphasise his talent, which was ahead of his time, but also that he had painted one of the first masked balls allowed in Madrid. It occurred during the Carnival of 1767 and at the initiative of the Count of Aranda, president of the Council of Castile, who was concerned with the modernisation of public events. This type of ball followed the French tradition that had begun at the Paris Opera in 1716 with the aim to relax, along with other measures, the rules of strict etiquette that had prevailed in Versailles until the death of Louis XIV, King of France. Thus, he aimed to please the courtiers who had moved to that city. In Spain, on the other hand, Philip V, King of Spain, did not allow them. In 1767, the first of only seven years in which this evening entertainment was allowed, the ball was held exclusively at the Teatro del Príncipe (Prince’s Theatre), with limited capacity and a single ticket price. From 1768 onwards, they were also held in the courtyard of the Caños del Peral Theatre and became popular in Seville, Barcelona and Valencia.

On 4 January 1767, by government decree, a detailed regulation on masquerade balls was published to guarantee ‘the peace, decorum and prudence which shall be exercised by those who take pleasure in attending; since the effect of the mask makes all those who wear it equal, trusting that they are all well-meaning people, respectful of the public, civilly educated, and adherent to the rules of good social behaviour’. All the costumes had to be made for that purpose. Furthermore, fabrics had to be of good quality to avoid any indecency, although without being precious or adorned with delicate ornaments like muslin or flowers, jewels or pearls, ‘even if they are false…as wearing a mask is a symbol of equality among attendees, there is no need to make outstanding distinctions, which some people may have been determined to do without being appropriate’. ‘The main amusement in wearing the mask consists in the great attendance, in the variety of costumes, in their convenient decency, in talking, dancing and entertaining themselves with the variety of objects depicted’. The ‘costumes of Hungarian, Armenian, sailor, mule driver and English costumes’, as well as ‘shoes and gloves for masks’ were always sold or lent ‘with the permission of someone from a higher rank or position’, and the costumes of judges, ecclesiastics or religious people were forbidden.

Several of these costumes were worn by those attending the ball that Paret painted. Furthermore, he added some guests wearing Spanish regional costumes and others in old-fashioned ones. He also included masks intended for Turkish, Italian and commedia dell’arte costumes, as well as that of a Roman soldier. The costumed figures are spread out in the stalls of the theatre. This interior is represented in its full width and height, with three floors of box seats in which other costumed characters entertain themselves or observe the variety of masks on the stage. Their costumes are subtly glimmering through the golden grilles. Candlelight dimly lights their faces and illuminates the backgrounds of the boxes, which are tinged with light layers of bluish and greyish colours.

Paret undoubtedly studied the warm effect of the theatrical lighting from life. Nevertheless, as Alejandro Martínez (2018) has observed, the overall composition may have been inspired by French prints of similar subjects. In the centre of the scene, a woman is depicted dancing to a string orchestra. She is wearing an ostentatious pannier hoop skirt in the 17th-century Spanish tradition. This is an extravagant costume that was strictly forbidden in the regulations of 1767 ‘because of the embarrassment they cause on such occasions’. She dances with a young man in a 16th-century Spanish courtly cape while listening to a ‘director’ – the person in charge of overseeing the dance – distinguished by a ribboned cane. He appears to politely explain the conditions of attendance. Paret masterfully depicts the reactions of the figures who await the resolution of the scandalous situation with interest and mischievous glee. Among these, there is a dandy and an Oriental figure. In the foreground, a hunchbacked Pulcinella from the commedia dell’arte is depicted. There is also a minuet dancer in yellow looking out of the corner of her eye at the watchman, who is reprimanding an attendee. Another character who should not have been admitted to the ball is the boy with a dog. He is situated on the left and, in fact, near him is a ribboned cane indicating the presence of another watchman. Next to him, the excellent, black-cloaked figure of Il Dottore (The Doctor) from the commedia dell’arte is represented. Further on in the painting, a conflict arises between a mule driver and a Pagliacchio in white, which may have been triggered by the woman between them. At the same time, a Mallorca-born sailor, in his striped suit and Phrygian cap, tries to calm them down. In addition, a woman appears in a beautiful blue polonaise dress adorned with flowers – another garment that was not permitted – and that has aroused the interest of a man armed with an iron rod, also forbidden. This rod is pointing at a jealous, sad woman and a man who seems surprised to see the lady in blue, as she is probably his wife.

On the right-hand side of the scene, a Harlequin courts another lady. He is evidently attracted by the gold watch resting on her lap. This was another accessory frowned upon by the authorities. Further to the right, near the edge of the painting, a young woman holds a mask in her left hand as well as a spinning wheel and a ball of yarn in her right. At the same time, three spindles hang from her waist as symbols of female honesty. This is a virtue in which the man next to her does not seem to believe, as evidenced by the doubt on his face. As a figure of different and simultaneous connotations in paintings such as Antoine Watteau’s Evening Landscape with Spinner from around 1715 (Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen in Rotterdam), this spinner sums up the nature of the masquerade ball. In the absence of official regulations, the masquerade ball would have allowed its attendees to become attractive members of the higher social classes and indulge in deceitful courtship and adultery. Some of the masked figures direct their intelligent gaze at the viewer and convey what the artist also wished to depict: the chasm between the vision of enlightened ideas and the reality of the human condition.

Paret made a detailed preparatory drawing, even with the same width as the painting – although not as high, since it does not depict the border with the title. However, the Museo del Prado’s recent study of the painting using infrared reflectography analysed by Mark McDonald has revealed that the artist had in fact executed a new black pencil drawing on the ochre-coloured preparatory layer. This drawing can be discerned in many areas in which he modified the perspective and architectural elements of the first one. He moved the pillar with the music box further to the right and changed its point of view from the right to the left. He lowered the pillar capital to the height of the base of the third floor of the boxes and also placed the first floor on a lower position. He also reduced the number of boxes from ten to nine on each floor and eliminated the last row of chandeliers. These two modifications create the effect that the space is less wide and elevated than in the preparatory drawing, as well as that the flow of people is greater and more crowded. On the other hand, he arranged in a clearer manner the various groups of figures in the foreground, most of which had already been studied in the drawing. He also modified and specified the poses of several of them.

As soon as Aranda was replaced by Bishop Manuel Ventura Figueroa in 1773, the masquerade balls were banned. Nevertheless, in 1778, Juan Antonio Salvador Carmona (1740–1805) engraved Paret’s painting for a print with more elaborate figures and decorated backgrounds. Its sale was announced in the Madrid Gazette on 28 July of that year. The title was changed to Variety of Spanish and Foreign Costumes at a Ball, which revealed the work’s true subject. Also evident was the name of the composition’s author, who was then serving his sentence in Puerto Rico. After Paret’s death, probably after the 1802 fire in the theatre, which took five years to rebuild, the copperplate (Calcografía Nacional in Madrid) was retouched; the plain floor was replaced by a chequered one and the title was changed to First Masquerade Ball Held at the Coliseo del Príncipe. Furthermore, the incorrect date ‘in 1771’ was subsequently added. The absence of Paret’s name on the prints of that condition also led to erroneous attributions of the composition, which was even attributed to Anton Raphael Mengs (1728–1779) until the signed painting was discovered in 1944. According to McDonald, Carmona apparently had transferred some of the figures from Paret’s preparatory drawing to his own drawing for the print. The latter, in turn, faithfully copied the painting, which could indicate that this print and Paret’s drawing were in the same collection.

Maurer, Gudrun, 'Luis Paret y Alcázar. Baile en máscara' En:. Paret, Madrid, Museo Nacional del Prado, 2022, p.80-84 nº 7