Francisco Goya

Francisco Goya was a Spanish painter and printmaker, considered one of the most important Spanish artists of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. He is newsworthy because the Spanish Supreme Court has recently ruled on the ownership of two portraits he painted: those of King Carlos IV and his wife, María Luisa de Parma. These portraits were commissioned in 1789 by the Royal Tobacco Factory of Seville. The Supreme Court has ratified that these paintings belong to the Spanish State, rejecting the claim of the multinational tobacco company Altadis, which argued it had a right to ownership. This ruling concludes years of legal dispute over the ownership of these significant works of art. Goya remains a relevant figure in art history, and legal battles surrounding the ownership of his works highlight the enduring value and cultural significance of his artistic legacy.