Self portrait with spectacles 1801

Francisco de Goya painted this self-portrait with oil on canvas, now held at the Musée Bonnat in Bayonne. Goya lived through a tumultuous period in Spanish history, marked by political upheaval and social change, all of which deeply influenced his art. Portraits like this one provide an intimate glimpse into the artist’s self-perception. The spectacles are a particularly telling detail, suggesting a vulnerability and perhaps a confrontation with his own aging and mortality. There's a directness in his gaze that invites viewers to consider not only Goya the artist but also Goya the individual, living through extraordinary times. Goya’s self-portraits challenge traditional representations of artists as detached observers, instead presenting them as deeply involved in the world around them. They are not just images but reflections on identity, history, and the self.