Vicente María de Vera de Aragón, Duke of La Roca
ca. 1795
Francisco de Goya, the premier court painter of Spain, had a knack for capturing the personality of his sitters rather than just their likeness. Here, the Duque de la Roca sits in his ceremonial white uniform, complete with the blue sash of the Order of Charles III, pointing a finger decisively at an open book. He looks as though he's in the middle of a heated debate or perhaps correcting a subordinate with a stern 'Look right here!' Painted around 1795, this portrait is a fantastic example of how Goya stripped away the usual stiff formality of aristocratic art to show real, somewhat grumpy-looking people.
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