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Francisco de Goya, 'Don Andrés del Peral', before 1798

About the work

Overview

Andrés del Peral sits proudly on a simple chair and looks out at us with a penetrating stare. Goya shows Peral as he really was, with a receding hairline and grey hair. He looks as if he’s sneering at us, but his facial droop suggests he may have suffered a stroke. He places his left hand on his hip and the right is tucked into his waistcoat, a gesture commonly found in portraiture at this date.

A friend and contemporary of Goya’s, Peral was an accomplished gilder and worked for the royal court in Madrid from the late 1770s to the 1820s. Goya’s use of colour is subtle and delicate, his brushstrokes confident and at times even flamboyant. Our eye is drawn to the luxurious sheen of Peral’s silvery coat, and the striped waistcoat decorated with flowers beneath it.

Key facts

Details

Full title
Don Andrés del Peral
Artist dates
1746 - 1828
Date made
before 1798
Medium and support
oil on wood
Dimensions
95 × 65.7 cm
Acquisition credit
Presented by Sir George Donaldson, 1904
Inventory number
NG1951
Location
Room 38
Collection
Main Collection

About this record

If you know more about this painting or have spotted an error, please contact us. Please note that exhibition histories are listed from 2009 onwards. Bibliographies may not be complete; more comprehensive information is available in the National Gallery Library.

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