The First Recorded Work by Goya

Before he became Spain's most famous master painter, Francisco Goya created a surprisingly ambitious scene of Hannibal crossing the Alps. This obscure oil painting stands as the earliest documented work of his entire career.

Long before he mastered his dark and dramatic period, a young Goya painted this epic mountain scene to enter a competition. It depicts the Carthaginian general overlooking the Italian plains, a classic subject for artists of his time. Historians often overlook this piece, yet it reveals the humble, academic beginnings of a legend. Finding a painting that marks the start of such a legendary journey is like uncovering a hidden map to greatness.