As a painter to King Charles IV of Spain, Goya recorded the foibles of the corrupt court in an infamous series of paintings and prints. Napoleon’s invasion of Spain in 1808 and its ensuing conflict provided abundant imagery for Goya’s stark, ferocious depictions of war’s brutality. Don Ibáñez was the founder of a cast-iron works located in a remote province of Spain. Not long after this portrait was painted, he was assassinated because of his political associations. Goya was a brilliant portraitist, whose keen perceptions of the human character are reflected in his paintings. Here the dark, neutral background focuses the attention entirely on the sitter, who looks toward the viewer with a steady gaze. The conservation of the frame for this painting was made possible by a grant from The Richard C. von Hess Foundation.