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Primary sourcePainting1787

The Duke and Duchess of Osuna and their Children

Francisco Goya · 1787

Goya's 1787 family portrait of his most important private patrons, the Duke and Duchess of Osuna, with their children.

Goya painted this portrait of his most important patrons, the Osuna family, showing his role as their court painter.

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Group portrait of a man and woman in 18th-century dress with five children. The standing man wears a black coat with silver trim and a red sash; the seated woman wears a pale grey gown with a ruffled collar. Children stand and sit around them, one with a toy carriage and a small dog nearby.
Francisco Goya, The Duke and Duchess of Osuna and their Children, 1787. Museo del Prado, Madrid.

About this source

What it is

This group portrait was painted by Francisco Goya in 1787. It shows Pedro Téllez-Girón, Duke of Osuna, and María Josefa Pimentel, Duchess of Osuna, with their children, dogs and toys. It is held in the Museo del Prado.

Why it matters

The Duke and Duchess were leading figures of the Spanish Enlightenment and among Goya's most important patrons, commissioning several works from him. The painting's pyramidal composition, influenced by earlier painters such as Mengs and Velázquez, places the Duke at the top, showing the social hierarchy of the family. Goya adds small human touches, like a child's toy carriage and a dog, that bring the formal scene to life.

Look closer

  • How does the arrangement of the figures show who held the most status in the family?
  • What do the children's poses and objects tell you about their roles?
  • Why might a wealthy family want a portrait like this, and what does it leave out about their everyday lives?

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