Francisco de Goya

Charles IV in Uniform of Colonel of the Lifeguards (Carlos IV con uniforme de coronel de los Guardias de Corps)

Charles IV in Uniform of Colonel of the Lifeguards (Carlos IV con uniforme de coronel de los Guardias de Corps)
Datos Generales
Cronología
Ca. 1799 - 1800
Ubicación
Galería de las Colecciones Reales, Madrid, Spain
Dimensiones
202 x 126 cm
Técnica y soporte
Oil on canvas
Reconocimiento de la autoría de Goya
Undisputed work
Titular
National Heritage
Ficha: realización/revisión
03 Mar 2010 / 23 Aug 2023
Inventario
10002933
Historia

Like its companion piece, María Luisa in Court Dress, this work came from the Royal Collection.

Análisis artístico

The full-length portrait shows Charles IV standing and turning slightly to the right, in front of a dark, neutral background. He is wearing the uniform of Colonel of the Lifeguards: a blue dress coat with red lining, and a waistcoat and breeches in the same colour. Among the many decorations and medals on his chest we see the sash of the Order of Charles III, the necklace of the Golden Fleece and the red sash of the Order of San Genaro. His right hand is resting on a baton, whilst with his left hand he is holding his hat.

Both Sambricio (1957) and Gassier-Wilson (1970) identified this portrait and its companion piece as being those mentioned in a letter dated 9 June 1800, sent by the queen to Manuel Godoy, which says: "Goya has done my portrait, which they say is the best of all of them. He is doing the king's in the Casa del Labrador". According to Morales and Marín (1997), these portraits may have been commissioned to be sent to Napoleon, an intention which would have been frustrated by the cooling off of relations with France following the War of the Oranges.

The Prado Museum holds a copy of this portrait, painted by Agustín Esteve for Manuel Godoy.

Exposiciones
  • Exposición conmemorativa del centenario de Goya
    Palacio de Oriente
    Madrid
    1946
    organized by Patrimonio Nacional. June 1946
  • Goya et la modernité
    Pinacothèque de Paris
    París
    2013
    from October 11st 2013 to March 16th 2014
Bibliografía
  • DESPARMET FITZ - GERALD, Xavier
    L'œuvre peint de Goya. 4 vols
    París
    1928-1950
    vol. II, p. 128, cat. 412
  • SAMBRICIO, Valentín de
    Los retratos de Carlos IV y María Luisa, por Goya
    Archivo Español de Arte
    Madrid
    1957
    pp. 101 y 110
  • GASSIER, Pierre y WILSON, Juliet
    Vie et ouvre de Francisco de Goya
    ParísOffice du livre
    1970
    p. 196, cat. 782
  • GUDIOL RICART, José
    BarcelonaPolígrafa
    1970
    vol. I, p. 308, cat. 413
  • CAMÓN AZNAR, José
    Francisco de Goya, 4 vols.
    ZaragozaCaja de Ahorros de Zaragoza, Aragón y Rioja
    1980-1982
    vol. III, p. 116
  • MORALES Y MARÍN, José Luis
    Las parejas reales de Goya. Retratos de Carlos IV y María Luisa de Parma
    ZaragozaReal Academia de Nobles y Bellas Artes de San Luis
    1997
    cat. 38, pp. 48-49 (il)
  • OROPESA, Marisa and RINCÓN GARCÍA, Wilfredo
    ParísPinacoteca de París
    2013
    pp. 284-285
Enlaces externos
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