LA FAMILIA DE CARLOS IV
por Francisco de Goya y Lucientes, 1800, 280 x 336 cm
Goya did this collective portrait of the family of Charles IV, who had appointed him as Court Painter, in 1800, and it would be the last Royal portrait he would paint. Once again we can see that, while other painters represented the monarchs "as they should be", Goya portrayed them "as they really were". In this large canvas he did not hold back his lack of affection for an expired monarchy of such scant effect , much like the one that had been dethroned by French revolutionaries to the north. Goya suscribed to the ideologies of Enlightenment and was accused of being "frenchified". The royal family seems presided over by Queen Maria Luisa, as was in fact the case, instead of by the king. Goya included himself, by way of a self portrait, before a canvas on the left of the painting, as Velazquez had done many years before when he painted the family of Philip IV, also known as "Las Meninas". Goya always recognised Velazquez, along with Rembrandt and Mother nature as his only three teachers. His technique, loose brush strokes that are almost impressionistic, reached one of its highest levels in this painting.