plate no. 1920

The Junta of the Philippines

oil, canvasRomanticismhistory paintinginteriorfiguresarchitecturecourtroomhistorical eventchandelier

recreation guide

The Junta of the Philippines (c. 1815) is Francisco Goya’s largest oil-on-canvas work, commissioned to commemorate the annual meeting of the Royal Company of the Philippines. While ostensibly a history painting depicting a formal assembly, the work is distinctive for its critical, unflattering portrayal of King Ferdinand VII and the Spanish elite during a period of political disillusionment. The composition centers on the King, seated at a raised table in full pomp, flanked by trembling associates, while assembly members are massed in two groups divided by a carpet. A significant expanse of light spills across the floor from a source near the viewer, highlighting the monarch’s impotent grip on a ruined empire. The painting reflects Goya’s late style, characterized by a move away from Enlightenment ideals toward a darker, more cynical realism, capturing the tension between royal authority and the decay of the Spanish state.

estimated time

40-60 hours over 8-12 sessions

materials

6 items

steps

6 in sequence

materials

item	purpose	modern equivalent
Oil paints (pigments)	Primary medium for color application	—
Linseed or walnut oil	Binder for pigments; provides flexibility and rich color	Cold-pressed linseed oil
Turpentine	Thinner for initial layers and cleaning	Odorless mineral spirits or pure gum turpentine
Canvas	Support surface	Linen canvas, primed
Varnish (optional)	Protection and final sheen; historically mixed with oil for glazing	Dammar or synthetic resin varnish
Black, Ultramarine, White	Core palette for underpainting/grisaille as per Reynolds' method cited in sources	Ivory black, Ultramarine blue, Titanium or Lead white

preparation

surface prep

Prepare a linen canvas with a traditional oil ground. Goya worked on canvas, and the sources note that oil painting allows for 'greater flexibility, richer and denser color, the use of layers, and a wider range from light to dark' (Source 4). The surface should be smooth enough to allow for the detailed rendering of figures but textured enough to hold the impasto in the King's finery.

underdrawing

While specific preparatory sketches for this work are not detailed in the sources, Goya’s late period often involved direct painting or minimal underdrawing. For this recreation, a light charcoal or thinned oil sketch is recommended to establish the complex spatial arrangement: the King in the center middle-ground, the raised table, and the two groups of assembly members divided by the carpet (Source 1).

underpainting

Employ a grisaille (monochrome underpainting) technique. Source 3 describes a method where the artist mentally extracts red and yellow colors, painting in black, ultramarine, and white to establish values before adding color. This aligns with the 'old masters' practice mentioned in Source 3 and allows for the dramatic chiaroscuro evident in the spill of light across the floor (Source 1).

color palette

Deep Blacks and Dark Browns

Ivory black, burnt umber, raw umber

The shadows, the King’s dark attire, and the background figures, creating the 'gritted teeth' tension and gloom

Bright Whites and Yellows

Lead white, yellow ochre, lead-tin yellow

The 'expanse of light' spilling across the floor and the King’s ceremonial finery, contrasting with the dark surroundings

Muted Reds and Earth Tones

Vermilion, red lake, sienna

The carpet dividing the assembly, the King’s sash, and flesh tones, applied via glazing over the grisaille

Cool Greys and Blues

Ultramarine, white, black

The drapery of associates and the atmospheric depth of the room

composition

The composition is anchored by King Ferdinand VII, seated centrally in the middle-ground at a raised table (Source 1). He is flanked by 'trembling associates,' including Miguel de Lardazibal to his left (Source 1). The assembly members are arranged in two distinct groups, divided left and right by a carpet (Source 1). A strong light source, situated near the viewer, casts an expanse of light across the floor, leading the eye toward the monarch (Source 1). This arrangement emphasizes the 'centrality and impotent grip of the king' (Source 1).

step by step

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

underdrawing

step 01
Transfer the composition to the canvas, ensuring the King is centered in the middle-ground and the assembly is divided by the carpet.
Tip — Verify the spatial relationship between the raised table and the floor light.
Pouncing or freehand sketching

underpainting

step 02
Paint a grisaille using black, ultramarine, and white to establish all values. Focus on the contrast between the dark figures and the bright floor.
Tip — Mentally extract reds and yellows as per Source 3, focusing on light and shadow structure.
Grisaille

first pass

step 03
Apply thin glazes of red and yellow tones over the dry grisaille. Use oil as a medium.
Tip — Glazing is a transparent coat of color; ensure the underlying grisaille shows through to maintain depth.
Glazing

refining

step 04
Build up the King’s finery and the 'trembling' expressions of associates using thicker paint (impasto) where needed.
Tip — Capture the 'barely concealed gritted teeth' and tension in the faces (Source 1).
Impasto/Modeling

finishing

step 05
Refine the light spill on the floor, ensuring it leads the eye to the King. Adjust the contrast between the dark background and the illuminated foreground.
Tip — The light source is near the viewer; ensure the gradient is convincing.
Chiaroscuro

varnishing

step 06
Apply a final varnish to protect the work and unify the sheen.
Tip — Historically, varnish might be mixed with oil for final glazes (Source 3).
Varnishing

critical techniques

Glazing and Scumbling

Source 3 describes glazing as a transparent coat of color and scumbling as semi-opaque painting. This method was practiced by 'old masters' and allows for rich, deep colors and complex light effects, essential for the dramatic lighting in this work.

Chiaroscuro

The use of strong contrasts between light and dark to model volume and create drama. Source 8 discusses how juxtaposition of tones produces chiaroscuro, with the highest tone enfeebled and the lowest heightened, creating a true gradation of light.

Layering

Oil painting allows for the use of layers, providing richer and denser color (Source 4). This is crucial for achieving the depth seen in the King’s robes and the atmospheric perspective of the room.

common pitfalls

→Over-mixing colors on the palette instead of glazing, which can result in muddy tones rather than the luminous depth achieved by layering transparent colors over a grisaille (Source 3).
→Failing to capture the psychological tension; the King should not appear majestic but rather 'impotent' and surrounded by 'trembling associates' (Source 1).
→Incorrect light source placement; the light must spill from the viewer’s position across the floor, not from a window within the scene (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 pigment recipes used by Goya in 1815 are not detailed in the sources; modern equivalents are suggested based on general oil painting practices.
·The exact brushwork style (e.g., loose vs. tight) for the background figures is not specified; the artist must infer this from Goya’s late style.
·The specific dimensions of the canvas are not provided, though it is noted as Goya’s largest work (Source 1).

grounded in

The technical procedure in this guide traces to the following classical art-instruction texts.

The Practice of Oil Painting↗
- Colouring a Monochrome — applied to Grisaille underpainting, glazing, and scumbling techniques
Laws of Contrast of Colour↗
- Chiaroscuro and Tone — applied to Understanding light gradation and contrast effects

cross-referenced from

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

Wikipedia: The Junta of the Philippines↗
- Description and Context — applied to Composition, subject matter, lighting, and historical context
Wikipedia: Oil painting↗
- Technique and Materials — applied to General oil painting properties, layering, and materials

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

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