Here Esteve combines the influence of Velázquez’s use of indefinite spaces with Murillo’s grace and chromatic harmony and Goya’s loose, precise technique. Considered the artist’s finest portrait, this image is notable both for its expressivity and the artist’s ability to depict the transparency of the dress, a type of light garment recommended by late 18th-century doctors as appropriate wear for children at home.

Este autorretrato de Velázquez tomado de las Meninas (P1174) es una de las pocas estampas del pintor Agustín Esteve, de la que se conserva otro ejemplar en el British Museum (inv. 1849,1208.8).

This print is part of a series published by the Company for the engraving of paintings from the Royal Palaces, although it was only published after that institution was no longer active. The Company for the engraving of the paintings from the Royal Palaces was one of the Spanish Enlightenment’s major undertakings during the second half of the 18th century. It supervised the reproduction of prints of paintings from the Royal Collections and its early projects were carried out by Francisco de Goya

The provenance of this canvas (Bornos Collection) and the recent appearance on the antiques market of a full-length portrait of Valentín Bellvís de Moncada in sentry uniform (Fernando Durán, 26/07/2017, misidentified as the 4th Duke of Osuna), also by Esteve and from the same collection, allows for the identification of the young woman portrayed standing as Mercedes de Rojas y Tello, Countess of Villariezo and the future Marchioness of Villanueva de Duero, with her daughter,

The sitter is the First Count Colomera (1723-1819), a distinguished soldier who served in the Spanish army during various successive reigns. The canvas uses numerous devices typical of Baroque descriptive portraiture although dating from a period when that style was in decline. The sitter is dressed as a minister with the sash of the rank of Captain General and the grand cross of the Order of Charles III.

This female effigy was once attributed to the Andalusian artist José Gutiérrez de la Vega (Seville, 1791–Madrid, 1865) who worked in the pictorial tradition of Murillo. However, this claim became untenable from a formal point of view after analysing the aesthetic and technical characteristics of the piece, and in 1999 the work was given its current attribution. The painting depicts an elegant lady whose attire serves as evidence of her affluent social status. Half of her body is vi

The sitter (1813-1863) was the son of Mariano San Juan and María Casilda de Pinedo, Marchioness of La Torrecilla by her second marriage. In 1834 he married María Salomé de Mendinueta, 4th Countess of La Cimera, and in 1838 embarked on a career in the cavalry. Esteve depicts him dressed in the style for children of the day in Europe, pointing towards his future with a serene demeanour. The boy wears the cadet’s uniform of the naval college. The whiteness of the suit and the p

Joaquina Téllez-Girón (1784-1851) married José de Silva Bazán, the future Marquis of Santa Cruz, in 1801. Goya had painted her as a child in the family portrait and alone, at the height of her beauty and as a muse, in 1805. However, Esteve’s less brilliant technique fails to render the subtle transparencies of her gauze dress with the same accomplishment as his master. While the globe reveals the sitter’s enlightened upbringing, her melancholic expression conveys the

This print reproduces the painting by Andrea del Sarto that was previously preserved in the Royal Palace in Madrid and is now located in the Museo del Prado (P00339). Giacomo Bossi engraved the copper plate (Calcografía Nacional, Madrid, R. 2726) – for which he charged 3,225 reales – based on a drawing by Agustín Esteve. The printed image is part of the series published by the Company for the engraving of the paintings of the Royal Palaces, even though it was not published during t

This print is part of a series published by the Company for the engraving of paintings from the Royal Palaces, although it was only published after that institution was no longer active. The Company for the engraving of the paintings from the Royal Palaces was one of the Spanish Enlightenment’s major undertakings during the second half of the 18th century. It supervised the reproduction of prints of paintings from the Royal Collections and its early projects were carried out by Francisco de Goya

This print is part of a series published by the Company for the engraving of paintings from the Royal Palaces, although it was only published after that institution was no longer active. The Company for the engraving of the paintings from the Royal Palaces was one of the Spanish Enlightenment’s major undertakings during the second half of the 18th century. It supervised the reproduction of prints of paintings from the Royal Collections and its early projects were carried out by Francisco de Goya

This print is part of a series published by the Company for the engraving of paintings from the Royal Palaces, although it was only published after that institution was no longer active. The Company for the engraving of the paintings from the Royal Palaces was one of the Spanish Enlightenment’s major undertakings during the second half of the 18th century. It supervised the reproduction of prints of paintings from the Royal Collections and its early projects were carried out by Francisco de Goya

This print reproduces the painting by Andrea del Sarto that was previously preserved in the Royal Palace of Madrid and is now located in the Museo del Prado (P00339). Giacomo Bossi engraved the copper plate (Calcografía Nacional, Madrid, R. 2726) – for which he charged 3,225 reales – based on a drawing by Agustín Esteve. The print is part of the series published by the Company for the engraving of the paintings of the Royal Palaces, even though it was not published during the Compa

This print is part of a series published by the Company for the engraving of paintings from the Royal Palaces, although it was only published after that institution was no longer active. The Company for the engraving of the paintings from the Royal Palaces was one of the Spanish Enlightenment’s major undertakings during the second half of the 18th century. It supervised the reproduction of prints of paintings from the Royal Collections and its early projects were carried out by Francisco de Goya

This print is part of a series published by the Company for the engraving of paintings from the Royal Palaces, although it was only published after that institution was no longer active. The Company for the engraving of the paintings from the Royal Palaces was one of the Spanish Enlightenment’s major undertakings during the second half of the 18th century. It supervised the reproduction of prints of paintings from the Royal Collections and its early projects were carried out by Francisco de Goya

This print is part of a series published by the Company for the engraving of paintings from the Royal Palaces, although it was only published after that institution was no longer active. The Company for the engraving of the paintings from the Royal Palaces was one of the Spanish Enlightenment’s major undertakings during the second half of the 18th century. It supervised the reproduction of prints of paintings from the Royal Collections and its early projects were carried out by Francisco de Goya

This print is part of a series published by the Company for the engraving of paintings from the Royal Palaces, although it was only published after that institution was no longer active. The Company for the engraving of the paintings from the Royal Palaces was one of the Spanish Enlightenment’s major undertakings during the second half of the 18th century. It supervised the reproduction of prints of paintings from the Royal Collections and its early projects were carried out by Francisco de Goya

This print is part of a series published by the Company for the engraving of paintings from the Royal Palaces, although it was only published after that institution was no longer active. The Company for the engraving of the paintings from the Royal Palaces was one of the Spanish Enlightenment’s major undertakings during the second half of the 18th century. It supervised the reproduction of prints of paintings from the Royal Collections and its early projects were carried out by Francisco de Goya