José Álvarez de Toledo

Goya painted the Duke of Alba in a half-length pose, sitting upright with his left hand placed inside his jacket. He wears a sash over his striped waistcoat, a medal on his dark frock coat and a white tie. He is looking directly at the viewer. This work may be part of a pair of paintings including a portrait of the sitter's mother, the Marchioness of Villafranca.

According to Gudiol, the strength of the drawing takes precedence over the pictorial aspect of the work, contributing to the solidity and objective clarity of this portrait.

A reproduction print of this work carried out by Manuel Salvador Carmona also survives in the Spanish National Library in Madrid.

There is another version of this work (oil on canvas, 86 x 71 cm, Private Collection, Madrid) usually considered not a signed copy, except for Jose Camon Aznar.

For more biographical information see María Antonia Gonzaga Caracciolo, marquesa de Villafranca.