The artwork “Poet Moratín,” crafted by the acclaimed artist Francisco Goya in 1824, is a quintessential portrait executed in oil on canvas. Emblematic of the Romanticism movement, the piece measures 60 by 49.5 centimeters. The genre of the work is portraiture, and it currently resides at the Bilbao Fine Arts Museum in Bilbao, Spain.
The artwork presents a half-length portrait of a seated man, believed to be the poet Moratín. The subject is directly gazing at the viewer with a calm, pensive expression. Goya’s use of texture and light conveys a sense of realism and immediacy that was characteristic of his portraits. The brushwork is deft and loose, which adds to the sense of life and spontaneity. The man is clothed in a dark jacket with a white shirt collar visible at the neck. A book or manuscript appears on the table in front of him, suggesting his literary occupation. The background is subdued, a muted teal green that serves to highlight the figure. Goya’s signature is inscribed on the canvas, imprinting his authorship upon this introspective depiction of the poet.
