Plate 1 from ‘Los Caprichos’: Self-portrait

Description

Self-portrait by Francisco Goya introduces the artist at the threshold of Los Caprichos, his celebrated exploration of human folly. As the first image in the series, it creates a personal encounter before the viewer enters Goya’s unsettling world of satire, imagination, and social observation.

The design dates to 1799, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s example comes from an edition published in 1881–86. That relationship between the artist’s self-presentation and the extraordinary series it opens gives the portrait enduring interest. For admirers of Goya, it offers a direct connection to the personality behind the work; for lovers of portraiture, it invites reflection on how an artist chooses to be seen.