Goya The Duchess of Alba 1795

It was in the year 1795 that the name Alba first appears in Goya's life.

The Duchess of Alba, 1795 

Oil on canvas, PC, Madrid 

On the 9th of june 1796 the Duke of Alba died in Seville and the Duchess spent her period of mourning on her country estate at Sanlùcar de Barrameda, in the province of Seville.

Various evidence indicates that Goya made a prolonged stay there at this time.

There are also two albums of drawings connected with this stay on the Alba estate.

They certainly contain some sketches of the Duchess and various members of her little country court.

Some of these Sketches were to basic elements for the composition of the Caprichos.

It was, in fact, just after this stay at Sanlùcar that Goya began to work actively on this series of etchings, which was finally published in 1799.

The Duchess of Alba, 1797 

Oil on canvas