plate no. 2686

Charles IV of Spain and his family

oil, canvasRomanticismportraitportraitfiguresroyaltyclothinginteriorfamily

recreation guide

Charles IV of Spain and His Family is a monumental oil-on-canvas group portrait by Francisco Goya, completed in the summer of 1801 shortly after his appointment as First Chamber Painter (Source 1). The work is distinctive for its life-sized depictions of the royal family, who are ostentatiously dressed in contemporary fashionable clothing and lavishly adorned with jewelry and the sashes of the order of Charles III (Source 1). Unlike traditional formal portraits of the era, Goya modeled the composition after Velázquez’s Las Meninas and Louis-Michel van Loo’s Portrait of Felipe V, placing the subjects in a naturalistic studio setting where they appear to be visiting the artist (Source 1). Goya is visible at his easel on the left, looking outward toward the viewer, while the rear of the canvas he is painting is visible (Source 1). The painting omits servants and narrative structure, focusing instead on the intimacy of the family, such as Queen Maria Luisa holding the hand of the youngest child (Source 1).

estimated time

40-60 hours over 8-12 sessions

materials

5 items

steps

6 in sequence

materials

item	purpose	modern equivalent
Oil paints (pigments combined with drying oil)	Primary medium for the painting, allowing for richer color and layering	High-quality tube oil paints
Canvas	Support surface for the oil painting	Linen or cotton canvas, primed
Linseed oil or poppy seed oil	Binder for pigments; provides flexibility and sheen	Refined linseed oil or stand oil
Turpentine	Thinner for the paint, especially for initial layers or glazes	Odorless mineral spirits or pure gum turpentine
Varnish (oil boiled with resin)	Protection and texture for the final surface	Dammar varnish or synthetic resin varnish

preparation

surface prep

Prepare a large canvas support, as the painting features life-sized depictions (Source 1). Prime the canvas with a ground suitable for oil painting, which has been the common technique for centuries (Source 3). Ensure the surface is smooth enough to allow for the 'richer and denser color' and layering techniques characteristic of oil painting (Source 3).

underdrawing

The sources do not explicitly describe Goya's specific underdrawing method for this painting. However, given the naturalistic setting and the complexity of the group portrait, a careful preliminary sketch is likely necessary to establish the positions of the figures, particularly the artist Goya at the easel and the royal family members (Source 1). Goya's general practice involved detailed preparatory work, though specific clues for this piece are not provided in the text.

underpainting

Utilize the advantages of oil painting, which include 'the use of layers' (Source 3). Begin with a thin underpainting, possibly thinned with turpentine, to establish values and composition (Source 3). This allows for greater flexibility and a wider range from light to dark (Source 3).

color palette

Rich, dense colors

Various pigments mixed with drying oil

General use; oil painting allows for 'richer and denser color' (Source 3)

Fashionable clothing hues

Specific pigments to match contemporary fashion

Depicting the 'height of contemporary fashionable clothing' (Source 1)

Jewelry and sashes

Bright, saturated pigments

Rendering the 'lavishly adorned' jewelry and sashes of the order of Charles III (Source 1)

composition

The composition is modeled after Velázquez’s Las Meninas, setting the royal subjects in a naturalistic studio setting (Source 1). Goya is positioned at the left, looking outward toward the viewer, with the rear of his canvas visible (Source 1). The royal family, including Charles IV and Maria Luisa of Parma, are surrounded by their children and relatives (Source 1). The painting omits servants and narrative structure, focusing on the family posing for the artist (Source 1). The artist focuses attention on three figures: the Prince of Asturias (in blue), Queen Maria Luisa (center), and King Charles IV (Source 1).

step by step

underdrawing→underpainting→first pass→refining→finishing→varnishing

underdrawing

step 01
Sketch the life-sized figures of the royal family and Goya at his easel on the left.
Tip — Ensure the proportions are accurate for a group portrait.
Life-sized depiction

underpainting

step 02
Apply a thin layer of paint, thinned with turpentine, to establish the basic forms and values.
Tip — Use the flexibility of oil paint to adjust the composition.
Thinning with turpentine

first pass

step 03
Build up the colors in layers, focusing on the 'richer and denser color' capabilities of oil paint.
Tip — Pay attention to the 'wider range from light to dark' (Source 3).
Layering

refining

step 04
Detail the 'ostentatiously dressed' costumes and 'lavishly adorned' jewelry.
Tip — Capture the 'height of contemporary fashionable clothing' (Source 1).
Detailing

finishing

step 05
Render the rear of the canvas Goya is painting and his figure looking outward.
Tip — Ensure the artist's gaze directs the viewer's attention.
Naturalistic setting

varnishing

step 06
Apply a varnish made by boiling oil with resin for protection and texture.
Tip — This provides protection and enhances the sheen.
Varnishing

critical techniques

Layering

Oil painting allows for 'the use of layers', which Goya likely employed to achieve the rich colors and depth in the costumes and jewelry (Source 3).

Naturalistic Setting

Modeling the work after Velázquez’s Las Meninas, Goya places the subjects in a studio setting, creating a sense of immediacy and intimacy (Source 1).

Life-Sized Depiction

The figures are painted life-sized, requiring a large canvas and careful attention to scale (Source 1).

common pitfalls

→Failing to capture the 'richer and denser color' possible with oil paint, resulting in flat or dull appearances (Source 3).
→Ignoring the 'wider range from light to dark' that oil painting offers, leading to poor contrast (Source 3).
→Including servants or narrative elements, which Goya specifically omitted in this work (Source 1).
→Misplacing Goya or the rear of his canvas, which are key compositional elements (Source 1).

what the sources don't tell us

Where the corpus is silent, we say so rather than guess. These are the gaps a complete recreation guide would normally cover that our source passages don't.

·Specific pigments used by Goya for this painting are not detailed in the sources.
·The exact underdrawing technique (e.g., charcoal, chalk, ink) is not specified.
·The specific drying oils (linseed, poppy, etc.) preferred by Goya for this work are not identified, though general oil painting practices are described.
·The precise dimensions of the canvas are not provided, only that it is life-sized.

cross-referenced from

Named facts about this artwork and artist were checked against these reference pages.

Wikipedia: Charles IV of Spain and His Family↗
- part 1 — applied to Composition, subject matter, historical context, and specific visual details like Goya's position and the omission of servants.
Wikipedia: Oil painting↗
- part 1 — applied to Techniques such as layering, use of turpentine, varnishing, and the advantages of oil paint.

Read more about the corpus on the sources page and how the guides are built on the methods page.

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