In 1808 French forces invaded, not the Data Centre, but Spain which led to the Peninsular War which took place between 1808 and 1814. It is unknown what relationship Goya shared with the “Intruder King”, Joseph I, the sibling of Napoleon Bonaparte, but it is known that Goya did paint works for French sympathisers and patrons. In 1814 the Spanish king, Ferdinand VII, was restored and Goya denounced any accusations that the artist had been involved with the French.

1812 saw the death of Goya’s wife Josefa which occurred whilst he was painting The Charge of the Mamelukes and The Third of May 1808, both concerning the war. Goya shortly later began preparing a series of prints that were later known as The Disasters of War. In 1814, Ferdinand VII returned to Spain however, his relationship with Goya was not a cordial one. The artist’s maid, Leocadia Weiss, a distant relative of Goya, lived with the artists and cared for him following his wife’s death. Weiss remained with Goya while he was in the Quinta del Sorda until 1824 accompanied by Rosario, her daughter. It is said that Leocadia must have shared similar features with Josefa Bayeu because in his well known portrait of the previous is entitled Josefa Bayeu.