Francisco de Goya painted The Colossus during Napoleon’s siege of Spain. So, many think El Gigante is the incompetent Fernando VII of Spain or Napolean. These were the major players wreaking devastation on Spain at the time of this work. Also Fernando and Napolean both had colossal egos.

The iconic Las Meninas by Diego Velázquez gives us an intimate perspective on a secret world. This portrait of Spain’s King Philip IV reveals the inner court with resonant details.