Felipe III., Rey de España (Philip III, King of Spain)

Among Goya’s earliest etchings is a series of copies after paintings by Velázquez in the royal collections, which he published in 1778. This equestrian portrait, one of the first prints of the series to be completed, is no ordinary reproductive engraving. Instead it shows Goya engaging with the model on the highest level and proudly signing his work “Don Francisco de Goya, painter.” Although his command of the technique of etching is still imperfect, he already possesses a highly individual lightness of touch and successfully translates painterly and atmospheric values into the graphic medium.