Older man almost facing us against a dark background, with tousled grey hair, a dark coat and an open white shirt

Self-Portrait

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What you see

Goya paints himself from the shoulders up, very close to us, against a dark ground. His body turns slightly, but his face is almost frontal and his eyes lock onto the viewer. He wears a dark coat and a white shirt open at the neck, with a loose grey scarf. There are no objects or props, only the face.

Light comes from the left, catching the broad forehead and cheek while the other side slips into shadow. The grey hair, curling at the temples, is laid in with quick touches. Don’t miss the tightly pressed lips and the faint glint in the eyes, which give him a serious, watchful look.

About Francisco de Goya

Francisco de Goya was born in Fuendetodos, Aragon, and became court painter to the kings of Spain. He painted elegant portraits, cheerful scenes for tapestries and also the horrors of war. He kept experimenting until the end of his life, and many consider him the first modern painter.

All 12 works by Francisco de Goya