School of Francisco de Goya; early 19th century.

School of FRANCISCO DE GOYA ; Beginning of the XIX century.
"The infant Carlos María Isidro de Borbón".
Oil on canvas. Relined.
Measurements: 58 x 45 cm.
This one made in the early nineteenth century is clearly inspired by the Goyaesque model of the Infante Carlos María Isidro, preparatory sketch for The Family of Charles IV, preserved in the Museo del Prado (No. P000731) and was painted in Aranjuez. The work is part of the courtly and bourgeois portrait that directly assimilated the innovations introduced by Francisco de Goya in the last years of the Ancien Régime. It reflects the immediate diffusion of this new portrait language, characterized by psychological naturalness.
From the stylistic point of view, the portrait adopts the essential features of the Prado model: figure represented with simplicity, lighting concentrated on the face, neutral background and a lively brushstroke that avoids the academic enamel finish. The construction of the flesh tones, resolved with loose and nuanced touches, and the free treatment of the clothing reveal a clear desire for modernity, in line with Goya's practice in his official and intimate portraits of the 1800s.
Carlos María Isidro de Borbón (Madrid, 1788 - Trieste, 1855) was the second son of Charles IV and a central figure in 19th century Spanish political history, known above all for his role as pretender to the throne and origin of Carlism after the death of Ferdinand VII.