Portrait of Mariano Goya, the Artist's Grandson

Goya was especially fond of his only grandson, Mariano, who was born on 11 July 1806. He painted his portrait on several occasions. There is an earlier full-length portrait of him by Goya aged about four and a head and shoulders of him as a young man in 1827. In the present portrait he appears to be six to eight years old. Seated beside an enormous musical score he is beating time with a roll of paper. This natural gesture, the informal pose and the thoughtful look on the child’s face combine to make this one of the most intimate of Goya’s portraits and reflects the great affection that he is known to have had for his grandson. It was to Mariano that Goya gave the Quinta del Sordo, the house containing the Black Paintings.

The painting is signed on the back of the panel: ‘Goya, a su nieto’ (Goya, to his grandson).