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Primary sourcePainting1783–1784

The Family of the Infante Don Luis

Francisco Goya · 1783–1784

An informal 1783 group portrait of Prince Luis of Bourbon's family, painted by Goya, who included a self-portrait at his easel.

Goya painted himself into this family scene, marking an early milestone in his rise as a court-connected portraitist.

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Painting of a group portrait: a seated man at a card table with a seated woman in white beside him, a painter at an easel on the left, and many standing family members in elegant 18th-century clothing, with a green curtain behind.
Francisco Goya, The Family of the Infante Don Luis, 1783–1784. Fondazione Magnani-Rocca, Traversetolo.

About this source

What it is

Painted in 1783–1784 by Francisco Goya, this large group portrait shows the family of Don Luis of Bourbon, brother of King Charles III, gathered at their estate near Ávila. It is now held by the Fondazione Magnani-Rocca in Italy.

Why it matters

Goya spent a month with Don Luis's household and was invited into their intimate daily life, a sign of his growing reputation as a portraitist. He placed himself in the scene painting at an easel, echoing Velázquez's Las Meninas. The painting includes Don Luis's wife María Teresa de Vallabriga, their children including the future Countess of Chinchón, household staff, and the composer Luigi Boccherini, offering a rare informal view of court-adjacent life.

Look closer

  • Why might Goya have painted himself from behind, unable to see the family's faces?
  • What does the mix of servants, children and courtiers in one scene suggest about this household?
  • How does this informal scene differ from a typical royal portrait of the period?

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.

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