‘Red Boy’: The Met’s Famous Portrait

Francisco Goya’s painting of a young boy compels continued discussion of its backstory and symbolism.

A detail from the portrait of Manuel Osorio Manrique de Zuñiga (1784–1792), 1787–88, by Goya. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City. Public Domain

One of the most famous historic portraits at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City is not of a royal, statesman, or important cultural figure, but rather of a young boy. The artist Francisco de Goya y Lucientes’s 1787 to 1788 picture of the 3- or 4-year-old Manuel Osorio Manrique de Zuñiga is beloved by visitors and considered a seminal artistic depiction of childhood. Popularly called “Red Boy,” the painting captivates with its charm and mystery, and it compels continued discussion of its backstory and symbolism.

Spain’s Renowned Portraitist

The artist's self-portrait in his studio, 1790–1795, by Goya. Oil on canvas; 16 1/2 inches by 11 inches.
Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando, Madrid, Spain. Public Domain