Born in Salamanca, Antonio Carnicero received his initial artistic training under his father Alejandro, a sculptor, before winning a scholarship at the age of twelve to attend the Academy of San Luca in Rome. On returning to Spain in 1796, he was appointed court painter to King Carlos III, a post later taken up by Francisco de Goya.

Towards the end of his life he was embroiled in political intrigue when the young Prince Asturias Fernando VII, whom he had tutored in drawing as a boy, went on to overthrow his father in the conspiracy of the Escorial in 1806. Arrested on November 7, 1807, Carnicero spent ten days in prison before being released. Like Goya, Carnicero was forced to work for Joseph Bonaparte in order to ...