Manuel Lapeña

Manuel de Lapeña y Ruiz del Sotillo (11 April 1762 – 14 October 1820) was a Spanish Army officer.

Having a reputation for incompetence—he had the nickname Doña Manuela (Lady Manuela)— Lapeña has been harshly criticised by most British historians (Napier, Oman, among others) for his conduct at the battles of Tudela and Barrosa (Chiclana), considering him both pusilanimous and lacking initiative, opinions shared by 19th century Spanish historians such as the Count of Toreno and Gómez Arteche. Although Lapeña was an ambitious man, he had a talent for diplomacy.

The full-length portrait of Lapeña, painted in 1799 by Goya, was commissioned by the Duchess of Osuna for the palace at her recreational property, La Alameda, Madrid.