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The Duke and Duchess of Osuna and their Children
Spanish: Los duques de Osuna y sus hijos
Man, standing, woman, seated. The youngest child is seated on a cushion at the woman's feet. The other three young children are standing.
Artist Francisco Goya
Year 1787–1788
Medium Oil on unlined canvas
Subject Pedro Téllez-Girón, 9th Duke of Osuna, María Josefa Pimentel, Duchess of Osuna and family
Dimensions 225 cm × 174 cm (89 in × 69 in)
Location Prado, Madrid


The Duke and Duchess of Osuna and their Children is a famous painting by the Spanish artist Francisco Goya. It shows a family portrait of the Duke and Duchess of Osuna with their four children. Goya painted this artwork between 1787 and 1788.

Who Were the Osuna Family?

The Duke, Pedro Téllez-Girón, and the Duchess, María Josefa Pimentel, were very important people in Spain. They were known for supporting new ideas during a time called the Enlightenment. They also loved art and were big fans of Goya's work. They asked him to paint many pictures for them.

Goya later painted their youngest daughter, Manuela Isidra, in 1816. She was not yet born when this family portrait was created.

What Does the Painting Show?

This painting shows the Duke and Duchess with their four children. Each person in the family has a special place and pose.

The Duke and Duchess

The Duke stands on the left side of the painting. He is wearing his military uniform. He holds the hand of his oldest daughter, Josefa Manuela. He is also in mourning because his father had recently passed away.

The Duchess sits elegantly in the center. She is wearing the latest French fashion of her time. On her lap, she holds her youngest daughter, the Marchioness of Santa Cruz. Goya would later paint this daughter again in 1805.

The Children in the Painting

  • Josefa Manuela: She is the oldest daughter, standing next to her father.
  • Francisco de Borja: The oldest son, he stands to the right of his mother. He is shown with a toy hobby horse and holds his father's walking stick. This shows that he will one day take over his father's important roles. Goya painted him again in 1816.
  • Pedro de Alcántara: He is seated on a cushion at his mother's feet. He holds the string of a large toy carriage.
  • Marchioness of Santa Cruz: The youngest daughter in the painting, she sits on her mother's lap.

How Is the Painting Arranged?

Goya carefully arranged the family in the painting. He used a special shape called a pyramid. The Duke's head is at the very top of this pyramid. This shows his important position in the family.

The Duchess is seated, and her sons are placed to the left side of the group. This helps guide your eyes across the painting. Goya was inspired by other famous painters like Anton Raphael Mengs and Diego Velázquez. He used light and shadow to make the figures look real, as if they are in a room.

Goya also added small details that make the painting feel alive. The Duke leans slightly, the children look out with intense stares, and there are two dogs in the picture. These details make it seem like a real moment in time, full of life and fun.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Los duques de Osuna y sus hijos para niños

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