Who painted Portrait of Carlos López Altamirano?

Portrait of Carlos López Altamirano was painted by Francisco Goya in 1798.

Where can I see Portrait of Carlos López Altamirano?

Portrait of Carlos López Altamirano is held by Montreal Museum of Fine Arts.

What movement is Portrait of Carlos López Altamirano?

Portrait of Carlos López Altamirano is associated with Early Baroque Italian.

Artwork

Portrait of Carlos López Altamirano

Francisco Goya , 1798

Portrait of Carlos López Altamirano is an oil painting by the Early Baroque Italian artist Francisco Goya. It dates from 1798 and is held in the collection of the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts.

About this work

Overview

Created in 1798, this oil on canvas portrait presents Carlos López Altamirano as rendered by the Spanish painter Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes. The work is part of the permanent holdings of the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, where it is displayed among other late‑18th‑century European paintings.

Subject & Meaning

The sitter appears solemn, his gaze fixed directly on the viewer. Light‑colored hair frames a face marked by a serious expression, while his attire—a black jacket over a white shirt patterned with tiny floral motifs—conveys a restrained dignity typical of formal portraiture of the period.

Technique & Style

Executed in oil, the painting employs a dark, muted background that heightens the contrast with the subject’s lighter clothing. The handling of light and shadow reflects an influence from early Baroque Italian portraiture, yet Goya’s brushwork anticipates the more personal, expressive approach that would characterize his later oeuvre.

History & Provenance

Since its acquisition, the portrait has remained in the collection of the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. Its documented history traces back to the artist’s studio in Spain, where it was likely commissioned shortly after the sitter’s rise to prominence in the late 1790s.