Francisco Goya y Lucientes, Pintor 18th-19th century

Curator: This is Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes' self-portrait, titled simply "Francisco Goya y Lucientes, Pintor", housed here at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: There's something about the stark contrast that gives it an almost theatrical quality, doesn't it? The hat especially – it's such a strong, almost cartoonish symbol of status. Curator: Absolutely. The hat, the angle of his face, there's a pride there, but also a hint of melancholy. The text below, "Pintor" or "Painter", is so assertive, like a pronouncement of identity. Editor: And yet, he presents himself in profile, almost as if he’s holding something back from us. The gaze is averted. Was he reflecting on his societal position? Curator: It's Goya staking his claim to posterity, using his own image as a symbol of artistic authority. And that hat, well, it becomes his trademark, a signifier of the artist. Editor: A fascinating assertion of self, carefully constructed for the ages. Curator: Precisely, a persona etched in ink.