Pedro Gil de Tejada

The identity of the subject of this portrait is unknown, although it is assumed to be Pedro Gil de Tejada, a friend of the Duke and Duchess of Osuna.

The figure is seated against a dark background and is dressed in a black frock coat. The only touches of colour in his attire are the white shirt with frills which spill out of his coat at the neck. His hands are only sketched in. A ray of light emanating from the top corner of the composition illuminates the affable, expressive face of the subject.

Goya's facility for capturing the spirit of his sitters is well known: he was very skilled at transmitting their state of mind to the viewer. In this case, the portrait seems to portray a calm, affectionate and sincere man.