Skip to main content

Primary sourcePainting1783

The Count of Floridablanca

Francisco Goya · 1783

Goya's 1783 portrait of Spain's chief minister, in which the painter shows himself presenting his work to the count.

Goya painted this portrait himself, and the commission was a career-making moment for him as an artist.

Ask Francisco Goya about this sourceView the original(opens in new tab)
Painting of a standing man in a red coat and red breeches with a blue sash, gold embroidery, and white wig, holding a small object, beside a table with rolled maps and a large ornate gilt clock. A seated man writes behind him and an oval portrait hangs above.
Francisco Goya, The Count of Floridablanca, 1783. Bank of Spain, Madrid.

About this source

What it is

This painting was made by Francisco Goya in 1783. It shows José Moñiño y Redondo, Count of Floridablanca, standing in a red coat beside a table with maps and an ornate clock, while another man writes behind him. It is held by the Bank of Spain.

Why it matters

Floridablanca was Spain's chief minister, and this commission was a major turning point in Goya's career, helping to establish him among the Spanish elite. The painting reveals how portraits were used to display power, wealth and status, and how an ambitious artist like Goya sought the patronage of powerful officials.

Look closer

  • What objects surround the count, and what do they suggest about his role and importance?
  • Why might Goya have included himself presenting the painting within the scene?
  • What does this portrait tell us about who had the power to commission art in 18th-century Spain?

This painting is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Francisco Goya on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

More Francisco Goya sources

Meet the AI Francisco Goya →
Painting of a nighttime execution. On the left, a man in a white shirt and yellow trousers throws his arms up while other prisoners cover their faces or kneel. Bodies lie bloodied on the ground in the foreground. On the right, a row of soldiers in dark shakos aims muskets at the prisoners, beside a lantern-lit box. A town with a church tower sits under a dark sky.Painting

Secondary source

The Third of May 1808

Francisco Goya · 1814

Black and white etching of Goya's Disasters of War series, plate 2, titled 'Con razón ó sin ella'. A bearded man in dark clothing, arm outstretched, is pushed back by a soldier thrusting a rifle with bayonet; another soldier in a tall hat stands behind. Bodies lie on the ground at left, and a crowd of figures is crouched in the background.Painting

Primary source

The Disasters of War

Francisco Goya · 1810-1820

Etching showing a standing man in pale clothing with head bowed, leaning against a wooden post, while a seated figure and a lying body in the foreground appear in dark shadow. Plate labeled 'Y no hai remedio' beneath the image.Painting

Primary source

Y no hai remedio

Francisco de Goya · c. 1810-1814 (published 1863)

Etching from Goya's Caprichos, plate 43. A sleeping man rests his head on a desk with his arms folded while owls, bats, and a cat gather around him in a dark sky. Caption reads 'El sueño de la razón produce monstruos.' Number 43 in the top right corner.Painting

Primary source

Caprichos

Francisco Goya · 1799 (created 1797-1798)

Etching of a man asleep with his head on his arms at a desk, surrounded by owls, bats, and a cat. Inscription in the lower left reads 'El sueño de la razón produce monstruos'. Dark, hatched lines on a light ground.Painting

Primary source

The Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters

Francisco Goya · 1797-1799

Ready when you are

Start chatting with Francisco Goya now.

20 messages free · No credit card · Available in 50+ languages.

Trial Humy for freeGet a quote for institutions