This is a portrait of Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, one of the leading military and political figures in nineteenth-century Britain, who served twice as Prime Minister. In 1808, the French army invaded Spain and installed a new king: Joseph I, brother of the French emperor Napoleon. The Peninsular War (1808–1814) followed, a period of brutal conflict between the French and the Spanish, Portuguese and British troops. This portrait was painted shortly after Wellington’s victorious entry into Madrid in August 1812, following his defeat of the French forces at the Battle of Salamanca; a turning point in the war which eventually led to Napoleon’s exile and the restoration of the Spanish monarchy.
Goya was clearly the portraitist of choice for such a prestigious sitter, for he had been employed as court painter for some years. Wellington must have sat for Goya shortly after his arrival in Madrid, and the artist produced a large portrait of the Duke on horseback (Apsley House, London), a drawing (British Museum, London) and our painting on panel. The equestrian portrait was publicly exhibited in September 1812 at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Madrid, where Goya was director. The drawing and this head-and-shoulders portrait may have been painted in preparation for the larger work, though they might also have been made independently.
Wellington was a short man and Goya paints him in an upright pose with his head held high, as if wishing to appear taller. The simplicity of the composition focuses our attention on Wellington’s face. This is not the look of a triumphant man: his face is gaunt and exhausted from battle, contrasting with his impressive array of medals and the bright crimson military uniform he wears.
Although this portrait was probably painted directly from life, Goya later altered Wellington’s pose and made significant changes to the composition as the Duke was awarded the different medals and military orders he wears here. On his chest we see the badges of the Order of the Bath (top), awarded in 1804; the Tower and Sword of Portugal (lower left), received in 1811; and the San Fernando of Spain (lower right), bestowed a year later. Across his right shoulder he wears the blue sash of the Tower and Sword with the pink sash of the Order of Bath over it – these were added during painting and forced Goya to make several adjustments (including moving some of the medals and his gold buttons). Wellington wears the Order of the Golden Fleece (a prestigious chivalric order) around his neck, which must have been added after the portrait was begun: the Duke only heard that he had been awarded this in August 1812. Finally, he wears the Military Gold Cross with a three-clasp brooch, suspended on a pink and blue ribbon. This decoration was only introduced in October 1813 – well after Wellington had sat for this portrait – and the gold clasps represented the battles in which the officer had fought. Wellington went on to earn nine clasps in all, but here he is shown with just three – those that he would have earned by the summer of 1812, when he supposedly sat for Goya.
This portrait appears to have been painted with extraordinary speed and energy. Goya has left a brown priming layer exposed to create a contrast between lighter and darker areas in some parts of the painting; this is especially obvious in the eyes and mouth. The medals and decorations the Duke wears are very freely painted but easily identifiable. The lion at the centre of the Military Gold Cross, for example, is just hinted at with a single stroke of yellow paint but we can make out its shape.
There are other portraits by Goya in our collection, including that of his friend Don Andrés del Peral, as well as a female portrait, Doña Isabel de Porcel, long thought to be by the artist.
