Portrait of Félix Colón de Larriátegui 1794

This portrait of Félix Colón de Larriátegui was painted by Francisco Goya using oil on canvas. The qualities and textures in this painting are achieved through skillful manipulation of the oil paint. Goya builds up thin layers to create a sense of depth and luminosity, especially evident in the way light reflects off the sitter’s satin sash. The way the artist applied paint would have required not only talent but also specialized knowledge. Pigments had to be ground, mixed with linseed oil, and applied in just the right sequence to achieve the desired effect. The painting would have been a collaboration involving not only the artist, but also the canvas maker, the suppliers of raw materials, and the patron who commissioned the work. Understanding the labor and skill involved challenges the traditional hierarchy separating fine art from craft. It reminds us that even a portrait like this is the product of many hands and a complex social context.