Portrait of Isidoro Maiquez c. 1807

This is Francisco de Goya's portrait of the famous Spanish actor, Isidoro Maiquez, painted in oil sometime in the early 19th century. Here, the actor is captured not in costume or on stage, but in an intimate, almost vulnerable pose. Painted during a turbulent period in Spanish history marked by political upheaval, the portrait transcends a mere depiction of an individual. Instead it offers a glimpse into the world of the Spanish Enlightenment and the role of theatre as a vehicle for social critique. Goya’s choice of subject, a celebrated actor known for his progressive views, underscores the artist’s own sympathies with the liberal movements of the time. The actor, like the artist, was a public figure who had the ability to move opinion and challenge existing social norms. To understand this work better, research into the history of Spanish theatre, the political context of the Napoleonic Wars, and Goya’s own biography would be essential. This gives us a sense of how the image embodies the tensions between tradition and modernity.