GOYA Francisco de (1746-1828).
L.S. with autograph compliment "Blm de VE Fran° de Goya", Madrid 9 May 1791, to Francisco SABATINI; 1 page in-4 (slight foxing); in Spanish.
Goya agrees to paint his last suite of tapestry cartoons. [The architect Francisco SABATINI (1721-1797) was the grand master of the Royal Buildings of Spain (Maestro Mayor de las Obras Reales).
Upon his accession to the throne, Charles IV, who as Prince of Asturias had been an important patron of Goya, appointed him Court Painter in April 1789. When the royal tapestry factory asked for work for its workers, it was decided in April 1790 to commission a suite for the palace of El Escorial, and the king decided that the subject would be rural and joyful scenes. Goya, who had given a lot of tapestry cartoons until then, thought that his new status would exempt him from these works from now on; but, in front of his reluctance, he was threatened with the suppression of his emoluments, on May 3, 1791, by Francesco Sabatini, and on May 7, 1791, by the Minister of Finance Pedro López count de LERENA (1734-1792). Goya had then to give in with bad grace, sending the present letter, decorated however with all the flowers of politeness. The first panel was completed in June 1791, and six others followed until an illness interrupted his work in 1792; among these panels was the famous Pelele (The Pantin)]. "Exmo Sr
Quedo enterado de el contenido de la de V. E. [Vuestra Excelencia] de 7 del que sigue, y de lo que dice el Sr Conde de Lerena, en papel de 3 del misme, y en su consecuencia, y para dar mas pronto cumplimiento, me mandarà V.E. las medidas.
Dios Gua[rd]e a V.E. m[ucho]s a[ños]. Madrid 9 de Mayo de 1791."
Goya added in his hand the polite formula: "B[eso] l[a] m[ano] de V.E.," and signed: "Fran° de Goya."
Translation: "I am informed of the contents of Your Excellency's letter of the 7th of the present day and of what the lord count of Lerena says in a note of the 3rd of the same, and consequently, and in order to give more prompt execution, Your Excellency will order me to take the measures. May God grant many years to Your Excellency. I kiss Your Excellency's hand"...
