Retrato de Goya en Aljafería evoca la «austeridad» del siglo XVIII en Aragón

The exhibition «Goya, from the museum to the palace» temporarily incorporated «the portrait of José de Cistué y Coll, Baron of Menglana». It is a painting made by the artist Fuendetodos in 1788 and moves away from «unnecessary disputes» and concessions to focus on the «responsibility, austerity, and seriousness» that characterized life in the 18th century in Huesca and all of Aragon.

The work was part of the heritage of the old University of Service of Huesca and subsequently remained in a private collection until its return to the Huesca Museum last January, after the government of Aragon purchased it for 3.6 million euros.

It is an oil painting measuring 210×140 cm in which José de Cistué y Coll is portrayed against a neutral background, with a curtain and a fabric that adds volume and plasticity. There is a special detail in the expression of the facial features, and the protagonist wears clothing and attributes of a magistrate, carrying the cross of the Order of Carlos III on his chest.

The President of the Courts of Aragon, Marta Fernández, and the Director General of Culture of the autonomous government, Pedro Olloqui, presented the painting at the Huesca Museum on Friday, where it will remain in the Aljafeía Palace room for approximately four months to «enrich» the exhibition.

«Our commitment to the introduction of itinerant work is to continue working during the period the exhibition will last, for about two years, so that this interest in Goya and his own culture and heritage continue to grow,» said Marta Fernández, celebrating that with the arrival of this painting, there is «another reason» to visit.

Fernández reiterated that the exhibition «is the result of institutional collaboration between the courts in Aragon and the government of Aragon, within the cultural axis that we promote in this XI legislature,» which, in her opinion, is evidenced by initiatives like this exhibition, «Goya, from the Museum to the Palace of the Angels.»

«Without culture, without respect for our history and heritage, there is no progress, and this society needs that pillar to continue moving forward and to show, especially to the younger generations, the values that we represent,» said the President of the Aragon Parliament.

On the other hand, the General Manager of Culture emphasized that this portrait has strengthened Goya’s funds to which the community refers. In fact, he mentioned that «the portrait of José de Cistué y Coll, Baron of Menglana» is part of «the best scene as a Goya portraitist.»

In the same year, 1788, «he painted the governors of the San Carlos bank, some of the most recognized cartoons for the Tapisers, such as «Blind Hen,» and other portraits of Spanish nobility «at the highest level,» like Osuna, Los Altamira, or Los Osorio. In a short time, this work «belongs to the cultural history of the city of Huesca,» he said.

Referring to the Aragonese artist’s ability to «surprise» through the messages he can «place» in his portraits, Pedro Olloqui explained that Goya, through this work, presents a character «born in Estadilla (Huesca), serious, austere, and responsible. These three qualities are evident as soon as you look at them. These three qualities also reveal life in Huesca and Aragon during that period: «It was not a city for jokes.»

He referred to the portrait of José de Cistué y Coll to emphasize that it lacks «flamboyance and unnecessary embellishments,» as well as «any concessions,» which, in his opinion, make it unsettling.

«The abuse of this seriousness, of this responsibility, of this austerity, even at certain times, as Benito Pérez Galdós said in national episodes, makes us almost self-destructive. But that surprises the world and when we know how to handle it with courage, it makes us great.»

Regarding the exhibition, Olloqui said, «It is a first step to recover the Aragonese essence of Goya in creating the myth of art history, something that should never be lost.»

«Goya, from the museum to the palace» will remain open in the historical area of the Palace, the seat of the courts in Aragon, while renovation works are extended to the Zaragoza Museum, the current location of the Goya Collection, and also contemplate pieces from other collections, with itinerant, just like the case of this «portrait.»

The collection consists of works from the Government of Aragon and the Ministry of Culture, from deposits of private collections and various institutions, such as the Prado National Museum, the Ebro Hydrographic Confederation, the School of Art, the Immaculate Foundation, and the Local Council of Jaraba (Zaragoza), as well as private collections.

It is located in the monumental area of Aljafía, especially in the Pedro IV room, the temporary exhibition room, the Taujel room, the chamber, Santa Isabel, and the rooms of the lost steps, and includes collections of Francisco de Goya and its varied format.

Among them, there are free prints, print impressions, canvases, drawings, sculptures, autograph letters; with a chronological narrative discourse that allows Goya’s work to be better understood in its historical-artistic context, but making thematic accents that emphasize aspects of the artist such as Goya’s engraving or true portrait.

In total, there are 62 works and a digitized and interactive facsimile edition of the Italian booklet. Two are sculptures; Four Goya print impressions and another 20 free prints of the painter; A letter from Goya sent to Martín Zapater, from 1780; a drawing; Italian notebook and 34 oils.

In addition to the works of the painter Fuendetodos, you can contemplate the works of José Luzán Martínez, a teacher of the painter; Giaquinto Corrado; Francisco Bayeu; Ramón Bayeu and Fray Manuel Bayeu.

On the other hand, the President of the Courts of Aragon provided visitor data since the exhibition opened in December of last year: almost 70,000 people. In fact, by the end of 2024, it had already surpassed a record figure with just over 27,000 visitors.

It is a «record and historic» figure in this building «that tells us about the reach of this cultural event and the excellent reception it had from visitors,» both from Aragon and the rest of Spain, particularly from French and Italians.

Only in 2024, last year, it already exceeded a record of almost 27,000 visitors.

FUENTE