Self-portrait

During his long career Goya created a series of self-portraits, of which this is one of the most impressive. Here he looks directly at the viewer with a haunting intensity, a frown, an intense and direct gaze, tousled hair and elegance of dress. Yet the portrait seems to be somewhat introspective, a detailed examination of oneself, conveying clarity and emotional precision.

Between October 1792 and February 1793, Goya suffered a serious illness that left him deaf for the rest of his life. The inner world in which he must have lived is well expressed in this portrait, in which the tension of his thoughts seems to manifest itself in his gaze. At the age of 50, the artist transforms his real image to approximate an ideal representation of the creative genius.

The purpose of the drawing is unknown. It may have been done out of pure self-reflection and his desire to capture his appearance by reflecting his psychological state, or perhaps as a handout to give to a friend, or even as an idea to be turned into a print.