Uncle Paquete (El tío Paquete)

Uncle Paquete was a very well-known blind man in Madrid. He used to sit on the steps of the church of San Felipe el Real, singing and playing his guitar and begging for money. In this portrait, Goya immortalized the man's misshapen features. His eyes are hollowed out and his teeth are all missing. Despite this, he grins out at us unashamedly. This is an image which mixes the dramatic and the comical aspects of blindness. Uncle Paquete must have been a witty character who doubtless provided the artist with a certain inspiration, being drawn as he was to the more grotesque aspects of life. It is a work of great expressionist strength.

In technical terms, this portrait is very close to the Black Paintings from the Quinta del Sordo. The colour palette is also very dark and it has been executed using thickly loaded brushstrokes.