Sebastián Martínez y Pérez
Original title: Sebastián Martínez y Pérez (1747–1800)
kurzbeschreibung
In 1792, Francisco de Goya painted the portrait of Sebastián Martínez y Pérez, a Spanish merchant and art collector. The oil on canvas shows the sitter seated, a sheet of paper in his hand, and demonstrates how precisely Goya could capture a person's character and social standing.
Description
In a dark, monochrome room, the man sits holding a sheet of paper in his right hand. Over a white shirt he wears a striped jacket and yellow breeches; his hair is tied back in a curly queue. Light falls specifically on his face and hand, so that the folds of fabric and the texture of the paper stand out clearly. The background remains deliberately bare, keeping the viewer's attention fixed on the figure.
Context
Sebastián Martínez y Pérez lived as a wealthy merchant and collector in Cádiz and commissioned Goya to paint him while the artist was in Andalusia. The picture was made in 1792, a time when Goya was establishing himself as a painter of the Spanish upper class. Martínez supported the arts and owned a significant collection — which explains the intellectual aura of the portrait.
Impact
The composition feels calm and composed, and the dark surroundings heighten the intimacy of the portrait. Soft light shapes the face and gives the scene a dignified, almost contemplative tone.
Technique
The picture is executed in oil on canvas; Goya uses fine brushstrokes to render fabrics and skin. Glazes create soft transitions in the shadow areas, while light accents the bright surfaces of the shirt and face.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)