Artwork
José Costa y Bonells, Called Pepito
José Costa y Bonells, Called Pepito is an oil painting by the French Romanticist artist Francisco de Goya. It dates from 1800 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. This oil painting depicts José Costa y Bonells, known as Pepito, a young boy portrayed in an interior setting.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts José Costa y Bonells, nicknamed Pepito, as a young boy holding a drum and a toy horse.
The painting depicts José Costa y Bonells, nicknamed Pepito, as a young boy holding a drum and a toy horse. These objects, identified in the work as a drum, toy, boy, and horse, highlight the sitter’s childhood pastimes and convey a sense of youthful innocence and play. By presenting Pepito with these symbols of juvenile amusement, Goya emphasizes the transient nature of youth and the child’s carefree world, positioning the portrait as both a likeness and a commentary on the fleeting innocence of early life.
Technique & Style
José Costa y Bonells, Called Pepito is executed in oil paint on a canvas support. The painting measures 105.1 centimeters in height and 84.5 centimeters in width. As a portrait, it presents a young boy holding a drum and toy, accompanied by a horse, rendered in oil medium.
The work’s technique relies on the traditional oil-on-canvas method, with the canvas providing a flexible ground for the paint application. No further details regarding handling, condition, or specific brushwork are provided in the sources.
History & Provenance
The work titled José Costa y Bonells, Called Pepito, is attributed to Francisco Goya and was executed in 1800 using oil on canvas. It measures 105.1 × 84.5 cm and belongs to the portrait genre, depicting a boy with a drum, a toy, and a horse. The painting is part of the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is displayed. The sources record its creation date as 1800 but do not detail any commission or previous owners.
The portrait José Costa y Bonells, Called Pepito (1800) by Francisco Goya is held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, as part of the museum’s permanent holdings. The available sources do not document a verified accession number, donor, or exhibition history for the work.
Overview
This oil painting depicts José Costa y Bonells, known as Pepito, a young boy portrayed in an interior setting. He stands prominently, holding a small drum, while a saddled wooden toy horse rests on a stand behind him. The scene is characterized by subdued lighting and a deep, dark background, creating a focused presentation of the subject and his immediate surroundings.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes was a Spanish romantic painter and printmaker.
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