Self-portrait on Linen

1773–1823 · Virkested

Madrid

1789

Court painter to Charles IV

After the death of Charles III he became court painter to Charles IV, painting a number of portraits of the king and his consort.

late 1792 – 1793

Grave illness and loss of hearing

An undiagnosed illness left Goya deaf; he found refuge in Cádiz with the collector Sebastián Martínez. After the illness his art grew darker and more pessimistic.

January – May 1796

Journey to Andalusia and the Sanlúcar Album

He traveled to Andalusia with the royal court; in May he stayed at the Alba family palace in Sanlúcar, where the Sanlúcar Album with his first studies from life came into being.

1799

Publication of "Los Caprichos"

The series of 80 etchings "Los Caprichos" was published and sold in a perfume shop on the Calle del Desengaño; owing to the intervention of the Inquisition, only 27 sets were sold.

31 October 1799

First Court Painter

He was appointed First Court Painter with a salary of 50,000 reales a year — the highest rank for a Spanish court painter.