Francisco Goya
Spanish romantic painter and printmaker of the late 18th and early 19th centuries.
Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons
Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes was a Spanish romantic painter and printmaker, active in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. He is considered the most important Spanish artist of his era and is often referred to as the last of the Old Masters and the first of the moderns, widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in Western art.
- born
- 30 March 1746
- died
- 16 April 1828
- field
- Painting, printmaking
- nationality
- Spanish
- known_for
- Reflecting contemporary historical upheavals; influencing later painters; Black Paintings
Lore & Background
Goya was born in Fuendetodos, Aragon, to a middle-class family in 1746. He studied painting from age 14 under José Luzán y Martínez and later moved to Madrid to study with Anton Raphael Mengs. He married Josefa Bayeu in 1773 and became a court painter to the Spanish Crown in 1786, producing portraits of the aristocracy and Rococo-style tapestry cartoons. After a severe undiagnosed illness in 1793 left him deaf, his work became progressively darker and more pessimistic. He was appointed Director of the Royal Academy in 1795 and became Primer Pintor de Cámara in 1799. His notable works from this period include La maja desnuda and Charles IV of Spain and His Family.
Reader's Guide
Goya's significance lies in his reflection of contemporary historical upheavals through paintings, drawings, and engravings, influencing important 19th- and 20th-century painters. His mid-period works, such as the Disasters of War series and paintings of insanity and political corruption, suggest a bleak outlook on personal, social, and political levels. His late period culminated in the Black Paintings of 1819–1823, applied to the walls of his house, the Quinta del Sordo, where he lived in near isolation. Goya abandoned Spain in 1824 for Bordeaux, France, where he completed La Tauromaquia series. He died after a stroke on 16 April 1828, aged 82. His legacy as a bridge between Old Masters and modern art endures.
Did You Know?
- Goya was born in Fuendetodos, Aragon, in 1746 to a lower middle-class family.
- He suffered a severe undiagnosed illness in 1793 that left him deaf.
- His Black Paintings were applied on oil on the plaster walls of his house, the Quinta del Sordo.
- Goya died and was buried on 16 April 1828 after a stroke that paralyzed his right side.
Notable Quotes (Wikiquote)
"I tell you that I have nothing more to wish for. They were extremely pleased with my pictures, and expressed great satisfaction not only the King, but the Prince as well. Neither I nor my works deserve such recognition." — Francisco Goya "But now? well now, now I have no fear of Witches, goblins, ghosts, thugs, Giants, ghouls, scallywags, etc, nor any sort of body." — Francisco Goya "As I am working for the public, I must continue to amuse them." — Francisco Goya "I have had luck with my St. Bernardino, not only with the experts, but with the public as well. Without any reservation, everyone is on my side. The King expressed his satisfaction before the whole Court." — Francisco Goya
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