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In what style did Goya write? Goya Francisco José de, Spanish painter

Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes - great spanish artist, representative of romanticism. Born 1746 in Fuendetodos, near Zaragoza. At the beginning of his artistic career (1780) he was elected to the Academy of Fine Arts in Madrid, and in 1786 he was appointed court artist and turned out to be the king's first painter. At that time, Goya became widely known as a very skillful portrait painter. The style and character of this artist’s paintings changed dramatically after the Great French Revolution in the early 1790s; moreover, the artist’s condition deteriorated greatly and as a result of his illness, Francisco lost his hearing.

From this moment on, darkness reigns more and more in the artist’s paintings, which is not only the background of his canvases, but also absorbs the figures themselves. He began to use some of Rembrandt's techniques more and depict a certain hopelessness, even mortal horror. The feeling of loneliness, internal confrontation, hostile external environment - all this migrated into the painter’s works. Despite this, Goya painted so abstractly and so professionally that his paintings were widely known during his lifetime and are no less famous in our time.

His famous painting The Family of King Charles IV (1800) amazed critics and art connoisseurs. No one ever dared to portray courtiers like that. Marie-Louise is depicted in it as imperious and even somewhat repulsive in her unattractiveness, and the artist himself stands in a dark corner, almost in darkness.

In 1797-98, the artist depicted without any fear the ugliness of the political foundations of his homeland. Just look at the painting “Execution of the rebels on the night of May 3, 1808,” which is full of tragedy and injustice. Here there is Goya's personal pain for his Spain, a protest against war and bloodshed. In the picture “ Saturn devouring his children” Goya depicted a merciless time that destroys people thoughtlessly and extremely cruelly - an eerie and bitter grotesque image.

The great Spanish artist painted for seventy years. He spent the last years of his life in Bordeaux, where he died in 1828.

Antonia Zarate

Maha nude

Mahi on the balcony

Portrait of the artist's wife

Tableware seller

Past and present

Water Carrier

Saturn devouring his children

The Spanish artist Francisco Goya, both in life and in his work, tried to follow high humanistic principles. He created a historical portrait of his homeland, making a huge contribution to art. Goya is one of the most brilliant masters of the Romantic era. His work is characterized by a variety of genres. Some of Francisco's paintings are presented in the Hermitage, their photos can be seen on the Internet.

Childhood and youth

Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes was born on March 30, 1746 in Zaragoza. A few months after the birth of the boy, the family moved to the village of Fuendetodos - this was a necessary measure, since the house in Zaragoza was subject to repair.

The family had average income, Francisco was the youngest of the brothers: the eldest Camillo became a priest in the future, and Thomas, the middle one, followed in his father’s footsteps and became a gilder. The children received a rather mediocre education; young Francisco was sent to study in the workshop of Lusan y Martinez.

The young man not only easily learned the lessons of mastery, but also became accustomed to singing serenades and performing sparkling folk dances. Francisco was a hot-tempered and proud young man, which was one of the main reasons for his frequent participation in street battles.


As a result, he was forced to leave the city to escape possible persecution in Madrid. Goya left Martinez's studio without any particular regrets. The teacher did not try to keep the talented young man, because he himself had long advised him to go further to study.

After moving, Francisco twice tried to enter the Art Academy, but since luck did not smile on him, the young man went wandering.

Painting

During his wanderings, Goya visited Rome, Parma and Naples. In 1771 he received the second prize of the Parma Academy of Arts. As for the first prize, nothing is known about it today. But this success allowed Francisco to believe in himself, because the academic council in Madrid silently welcomed the young artist’s paintings at competitions and exhibitions.


Paintings by Francisco Goya “Saturn Devouring His Son” and “The Sabbath of Witches”

Upon returning to Zaragoza, Francisco took up painting professionally, namely, painting church frescoes. His decoration of the Sobradiel Palace and the Church of El Pilar received praise, which prompted the ambitious Francisco to try to conquer the capital again.

Upon his arrival in Madrid, Goya began working on the panels needed for the carpets of the Royal Tapestry Manufactory.


Not without the participation of his friend Bayeu, on January 22, 1783, Francisco received an important order from the Count of Floridablanca. The artist did not believe in luck, because painting a portrait of a high-ranking nobleman allowed him to earn good money. But that’s not all - thanks to the count, who introduces the artist to high society and introduces him to his younger brother, King Don Luis, Francisco receives a new order.

Don Luis commissions portraits of his family members to be painted. For his work, Goya earned 20 thousand reais, and the artist’s wife received a dress embroidered with gold and silver, worth about 30 thousand reais.


Thus, Francisco Goya becomes a recognized Spanish portrait painter. In 1786, Francisco became interested in Charles III and became a court artist. After the death of the ruler, his successor Charles IV retained Goya in his position, significantly increasing his salary.

In 1795, Francisco was elected honorary director of the Academy of San Fernando. After 4 years, the artist reached the pinnacle of his career - he was elevated to the rank of first court painter of King Charles IV.

Personal life

Goya's friend, the artist Francisco Bayeu, introduced him to his sister. The blond beauty Josefa and the temperamental Argonian immediately fell in love. But Francisco was in no hurry to get married and decided to take this step only after the news of the girl’s pregnancy.


An important point was that the brother of the future wife owned the workshop where the artist worked. The solemn event took place on July 25, 1773. The child, born shortly after the wedding, did not live long. The wife gave birth to five children, some sources indicate a higher number. Only one boy survived, named Francisco Javier Pedro, who later became an artist.

As soon as Goya became part of the circle of court ladies and aristocrats, he immediately forgot Joseph. Unlike most artists' wives, the wife did not pose for Francisco: he painted one portrait of his wife. This perfectly describes the artist’s attitude towards her. Despite this, Francisco remained married until his wife's death in 1812.


The man was not a faithful husband; other women besides his wife were always present in his personal life. More desirable than the other court aristocrats for Goya was the Duchess of Alba. After meeting the girl in the summer of 1795, the couple began a whirlwind romance. The following year, the duchess's elderly husband died, and she went to Andalusia. Goya went with her: they lived together for several months.

However, an unpleasant event occurred in Francisco’s biography: upon returning to Madrid, Alba left the artist, preferring a military man in a high position. Francisco was offended by this act, but the separation was short - the girl soon returned to him, the romance lasted 7 years. It must be said that these relations are not confirmed by any documents.

Death

In the fall of 1792, Francisco was struck by a serious illness that resulted in complete deafness. And these are minimal consequences, everything could have been much worse, because the artist constantly felt weak, he was tormented by headaches, he partially lost his sight and was paralyzed for some time. Researchers suggest these are the consequences of syphilis neglected in youth. Deafness greatly complicated the artist’s life, but did not prevent him from caring for women.


Over the years, the artist’s condition became worse, and his painting became darker. After the death of his wife and the marriage of his son, Goya was left alone. In 1819, the artist retired and retired to the Quinta del Sordo country house. From the inside, he paints the walls with gloomy frescoes that represented the visions of a lonely and world-weary man.

However, fate smiled on Francisco; he met Leocadia de Weiss. They began a whirlwind romance, as a result of which the woman divorced her husband.


In 1824, fearing persecution from the new government, the artist decided to leave for France. He lived in Bordeaux for two years, but one day he became very homesick and decided to return. Finding himself in Madrid at the peak of the post-revolutionary reaction, he was soon forced to return to Bordeaux.

The Spanish artist died in the arms of his devoted wife, surrounded by relatives, on the night of April 15-16, 1828. Francisco's remains were returned to Spain only in 1919.

Works

  • 1777 – “Umbrella”
  • 1778 – “The Crockery Seller”
  • 1778 – “Madrid Market”
  • 1779 – “The Game of Pelota”
  • 1780 – “Young Bull”
  • 1786 – “The Wounded Mason”
  • 1791 – “The Game of Blind Man’s Bluff”
  • 1782-83 – “Portrait of the Count of Floridablanca”
  • 1787 – “The Family of the Duke of Osuna”
  • 1787 – “Portrait of the Marquise A. Pontejos”
  • 1796 – “Doctor Peral”
  • 1796 – “Francisco Bayeu”
  • 1797-1799 – “The sleep of reason gives birth to monsters”
  • 1798 – “Ferdinand Guillemardet”
  • 1799 – “La Tirana”
  • 1800 – “The Family of King Charles IV”
  • 1805 – “Sabas Garcia”
  • 1806 – “Isabel Covos de Porcel”
  • 1810-1820 – “Disasters of War” (series of 82 engravings)
  • 1812 – “Girl with a Jug”
  • 1819-1923 – “Saturn devouring his son”
  • 1819-1923 – “Dog”
  • 1820 – “Portrait of T. Perez”
  • 1823 – “The Sabbath of Witches”
  • 1828 – “Portrait of José Pio de Molina”

Spanish artist and engraver, one of the first and most prominent masters of fine art of the Romantic era

Francisco Goya

Brief biography

Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes(Spanish) Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes; March 30, 1746, Fuendetodos, near Zaragoza - April 16, 1828, Bordeaux) - Spanish artist and engraver, one of the first and most prominent masters of fine art of the Romantic era.

Birth and early life in Spain

Francisco Goya Lucientes was born in 1746 in Zaragoza, the capital of Aragon, into a middle-class family. His father is Jose Goya. Mother - Gracia Lucientes - the daughter of a poor Aragonese hidalgo. A few months after Francisco’s birth, the family moved to the village of Fuendetodos, located 40 km south of Zaragoza, where they lived until 1749 (according to other sources - until 1760), while their town house was being repaired. Francisco was the youngest of three brothers: Camillo, the eldest, later became a priest, the middle one, Thomas, followed in his father’s footsteps. José Goya was a famous gilder, to whom even the canons of the Cathedral of the Basilica de Nuestra Señora del Pilar entrusted him with checking the quality of the gilding of all the statues on which the Aragonese craftsmen who were reconstructing the cathedral were then working. All the brothers received a rather superficial education; Francisco Goya will always write with errors. In Zaragoza, young Francisco was sent to the workshop of the artist Luzan y Martinez. At the end of 1763, Francisco took part in a competition for the best pictorial copy of Silenus in plaster, but on January 15, 1764, not a single vote was cast for him. Goya hates casts, he admits this much later. In 1766, Goya went to Madrid and here he faced another failure at the competition at the Academy of San Fernando. The subjects for the competition works are related to the generosity of King Alfonso X the Wise and the exploits of national warrior heroes of the 16th century. These subjects do not inspire Goya. Moreover, Francisco Bayeu, another young painter from Zaragoza and a member of the competition jury, is a supporter of balanced forms and academic painting, who does not recognize the imagination of the young Goya. The first prize is received by Bayeu's younger brother, 20-year-old Ramon... In Madrid, Goya gets acquainted with the works of court artists and improves his skills.

Travel to Italy

Between July 1766 and April 1771, Francisco's life in Rome remains a mystery. According to an article by Russian art critic A.I. Somov, in Italy the artist “ was engaged not so much in painting and copying Italian masters, but in a visual study of their means and manners" In the spring of 1771, he participated in a competition at the Parma Academy for a painting on an ancient theme, calling himself a Roman and a student of Bayeu. The reigning prince of Parma at that time was Philip of Bourbon-Parma, brother of the Spanish king Charles III. On June 27, the only prize was awarded to Paolo Boroni for “subtle, elegant coloring,” while Goya was reproached for “harsh tones,” but the “grandiose character of the figure of Hannibal he painted” was recognized. He is awarded the second prize of the Parma Academy of Fine Arts, receiving 6 votes.

Return and work in Zaragoza

The Chapter of the Church del Pilar takes notice of the young artist, perhaps because of his stay in Rome, and Goya returns to Zaragoza. He was asked to make sketches for the ceiling of the chapel by the architect Ventura Rodriguez on the theme “Worship of the Name of God.” At the beginning of November 1771, the chapter approved the trial fresco proposed by Goya and entrusted him with the commission. Moreover, the newcomer Goya agrees to the amount of 15,000 reais, while the more experienced Antonio Gonzalez Velazquez asks for 25,000 reais for the same work. On July 1, 1772, Goya completed the painting; his work aroused admiration from the chapter even at the stage of presenting the sketch. As a result, Goya was invited to paint the oratorio of the Sobradiel Palace; he also began to be patronized by the noble Aragonese Ramon Pignatelli, whose portrait he would paint in 1791. Thanks to Manuel Bayeu, Francisco was invited to the Carthusian monastery of Aula Dei, near Zaragoza, where over the course of two years (1772-1774) he created 11 large compositions on themes from the life of the Holy Virgin Mary. Of which only seven have survived, and they have been damaged by restoration work.

Francisco Bayeu introduced Goya to his sister Josepha, with whom he was delighted and soon seduced her. In July 1773, Goya had to marry her when she was five months pregnant. The wedding took place in Madrid. At this time he is 27 years old, and Josefa is 26. Francisco calls his wife “Pepa”. Four months later, a boy was born, who was named Eusebio; he did not live long and soon died. In total, Josefa gave birth to five (according to various sources and more) children, of whom only one boy named Javier survived - Francisco Javier Pedro (1784-1854) - who became an artist. As soon as meetings with court aristocrats became available to Goya, Josepha was immediately practically forgotten by him. Although Goya remained married to her until her death in 1812. Goya painted only one portrait of her.

Goya in Madrid (1775-1792)

In 1775, Goya finally settled in Madrid with his brother-in-law Francisco Bayeu, and worked in his workshop. Bayeu was then the official court painter of King Charles III.

Goya's first court order in 1775 was cardboard for a series of tapestries for the dining room of the Prince of Asturias, later Charles IV, in the El Escorial Palace. They depict hunting scenes, and Goya himself is fond of hunting. Francisco creates 5 compositions and receives 8,000 reais for them.

For the Royal Tapestry Manufactory in 1776-1778, Goya completed the next series of panels for the dining room of the Prince of Asturias already in the Pardo Palace, among them “Dance on the Banks of Manzanares”, “Fight in a Tavern”, “Mach and Masks”, “Flying a Kite” and "Umbrella".

In 1778, Francisco received permission to engrave paintings by Diego Velazquez, which had just been transported to the Royal Palace in Madrid. Over the course of two years (1778-1780), Goya created 7 cardboards for tapestries in the bedchamber of the prince and his wife and 13 for their living rooms. Among these works, “Laundresses”, “Dishes Seller”, “Doctor” or “Ball” stand out. The theme of Spanish folk life is considered completely new and appeals to customers. Among other things, the fashion for such themes contributed to Goya’s debut at court: at the beginning of 1779, he presented four of his paintings to the king, not without success. After some time, Goya already asked for a position as a court artist, but was refused. He is not supported by his brother-in-law Francisco Bayeu, who does not want to share with him the place of the king's first painter. By that time, Goya himself had created a capital of 100,000 reais. In May 1780, due to the suspension of the production of tapestries at the royal manufactory, the freed Goya entered into a contract to paint the dome of the Cathedral del Pilar for 60,000 reais. Goya works quickly and under the direction of Bayeu. A conflict arises between the two artists, into which the chapter of the cathedral is also drawn: Goya refuses to make the amendments to the work required by his leader. As a result, he still contributes them, but because of this resentment against his brother-in-law and the Aragonese clergy, he will not appear in his native Zaragoza for a long time.

In July 1781, Goya, along with Francisco Bayeu and Maella, worked to decorate the Church of St. Francis the Great in Madrid. He writes “The Sermon of St. Bernardine of Siena in the presence of the King of Aragon." After the mass, in the presence of the king, Goya accepted congratulations. In this work, Goya depicted himself with a radiant face to the left of the saint, an image he repeated in a subsequent self-portrait. Goya increasingly painted portraits, so in January 1783 he was commissioned to paint a portrait of the Count of Floridablanca. In 1783 and 1784, he visited the Arenas de San Pedro, fulfilling orders and portraying the younger brother of the King Infanta Don Luis, his young wife Maria Teresa Vallabriga and their architect Ventura Rodriguez. In October 1784, he received from the Infanta 30,000 reais for 2 paintings: “Equestrian Portrait of Dona Vallabriga” and “The Family of Don Luis.” In the same year, he painted 4 paintings for the College of Calatrava in Salamanca, which were destroyed during the Napoleonic Wars. In 1785, Goya met the family of the Marquis de Penafel, who would be his regular customers for 30 years. Goya became vice-director of the Royal Academy in 1785, and from 1795 - director of its painting department. His mother died that same year (his father died in 1781). In 1786, Goya was appointed royal artist, at the same time he painted a portrait of his brother-in-law, which may indicate reconciliation with him after such an appointment. In his new position, Goya continued to create cardboard for tapestries and in the summer of 1786 he received an order for a new series for the royal dining room in the Pardo Palace. From this series, “Spring” (or “Flower Girls”), “Summer” (or “Harvest”) and “Winter” (or “Blizzard”) stand out. For the bank of St. Carla Goya painted realistic portraits of Count Altamira and King Charles III.

In April 1787, Francisco transferred 7 of his paintings to Alameda to decorate the Little Palace, the residence of the Duke of Osuna. For the feast of St. Anna, in a short period of time, he completed 3 canvases for the altars of the monastery of Santa Ana de Valladolid in a neoclassical manner unusual for him (the scenes of the death of Saints Joseph, Bernard and Lutgarde). In 1788, Goya created 2 paintings for the funeral chapel in the Cathedral of Valencia, commissioned by the Duke of Osuna: “Farewell of St. Francisco de Borja with his family" and "St. Francisco Caring for a Dying Man,” in the latter Goya portrayed the devil for the first time. In the same year, he painted the famous panorama of Madrid at sunset in May in the canvas “Meadow of San Isidro”. Goya also painted portraits of Countess Altamira, her daughter, her sons Count de Trastamare and three-year-old Manuel Osorio, and also created a “Portrait of the Family of the Duke and Duchess of Osuna” in a realistic manner.

After the death of Charles III in 1789, he became the court artist of Charles IV and, from 1799, his first painter. After his appointment, he painted a number of expressionless portraits of the king and his wife. The court, closely following the events of the French Revolution, lost interest in decorating palaces - and now Goya has no orders for cardboard for tapestries. Persecution began against the enlightened Spaniards: a number of his friends were arrested or were actually in exile. In July 1790, Goya himself was sent to Valencia “to breathe the sea air.” But already in October, Goya painted in Zaragoza a portrait of his friend Martin Zapater, a lonely and wealthy merchant, with whom Francisco was in regular correspondence from 1775 to 1801. Upon returning to Madrid, Goya was faced with the intrigues of the court painter Maella, only Bayeu's intervention helped Francisco's position at court. In May 1791, he completed a sketch for the largest cardboard for the trellis in the king's study at El Escorial, for the "Village Wedding". At the request of the king, the picture was socially neutral, in contrast to the previously painted “Pagliacci”. In October, Goya was again in Zaragoza, where he created a portrait of Canon Ramon Pignatelli, known only in a copy. In December of the same year, he completed 7 panels for trellises, which became his last cardboards. Due to the lack of royal and private orders, and the almost ceased correspondence with Zapater, Goya’s fate in 1792 remains little known.

Illness and creativity in 1793-1799

From Goya's letters it is known that at the beginning of 1793 he was seriously ill. At this time, Goya found shelter in Cadiz with a local dealer and collector Sebastien Martinez, whose portrait he created. Goya suffered from paralysis, but it is now impossible to accurately diagnose the artist’s illness. In any case, Goya’s incurable deafness was the result of an illness he suffered. In the summer of the same year, he returned to Madrid and immediately sent Bernardo de Iriarte, vice-trustee of the Academy of San Fernando, a series of easel paintings on copper plates on folk themes. Because of the war with France, Goya received an order for portraits of prominent commanders of the Spanish army: Antonio Ricardos and Lieutenant General Felix Colon de Larreatega, as well as Jovellanos' relative, Ramon Posado y Soto. Also in 1794, he painted a portrait of fellow actress Maria Rosario del Fernandez, nicknamed "La Tirana". Citing a serious illness, Goya refused to allow the director of the royal manufactory to provide sketches for tapestries. In 1795, Goya created a full-length portrait of the Duke of Alba, and then his wife. The story of the mutual passion of Goya and the Duchess of Alba is not directly confirmed by any of the documents that have reached us. In Cayetana Alba's portraits one can find hints of a connection. Later, in “Caprichos,” Goya depicted the duchess with very caustic drawings. In a small canvas of the same year, Goya depicted Alba with her duenna in a rather farcical everyday scene. In July 1795, Goya's brother-in-law Francisco Bayeu died, Goya exhibited his unfinished portrait at the Academy. Francisco unsuccessfully asked Manuel Godoy to petition the king for the position of the first court painter, but he was elected director of the painting department at the Academy of San Fernando with a salary of 4,000 reais.

On January 4, 1796, Goya traveled with the royal court to Andalusia to venerate the remains of Saint Ferdinand of Seville. In May, Goya stayed at the country palace of the Alba family in San Lucar de Berrmeda, and the Duke of Alba died on June 9 in Seville. Goya fell ill again and ended up in Cadiz, where perhaps at this time he created 3 large canvases for the Santa Cueva oratorio, innovative in depicting the life of Christ. At this time, Goya's Sanlúcar album appeared with his first sketches made directly in nature. In 1797, Goya painted “The Duchess of Alba in a Mantilla,” where he depicted her in a mahi outfit (a black mantilla and skirt) with the inscription in the sand “Solo Goya” (Only Goya). In the spring of the same year, Francisco resigned from the post of director of the painting department at the Academy of San Fernando under the pretext of poor health. At the same time, Goya began a series of etchings called Caprichos. In 1797-1798, Goya continued to receive orders for portraits of Bernardo de Iriarte and Gaspar Jovellanos.

In 1798, Charles IV commissioned Goya to paint the dome of his country church of San Antonio de la Florida. In June 1798, Goya presented the Duke of Osuna with 6 small paintings, the subjects of which anticipated “Caprichos”, among them “The Big Goat” stands out. At the beginning of 1799, the “Taking of Christ into custody” was demonstrated at the Academy and then installed in the sacristy of the Toledo Cathedral, where a perfect image of night lighting was noted. On February 6 and 19, 1799, the release of “Caprichos” was announced; they could be purchased at the perfume shop on Rue Desengaño, 1. But only 27 sets were sold due to the intervention of the Inquisition. In the same year, Goya painted portraits of the French ambassador Ferdinand Guillemardet and his beloved Marquise de Santa Cruz, née Marianne Waldstein. Now both portraits hang opposite each other in the Louvre.

Goya's life in the early years of the 19th century (1799-1808)

For the monarchs, the release of “Caprichos” went unnoticed. In September 1799, the Queen commissioned Goya to paint a portrait of her wearing a mantilla. And a month later she posed for an equestrian portrait. On October 31, 1799, Goya was appointed first court artist with a salary of 50,000 reais per year. In the same year, he painted portraits of the actress "La Tirana" and the poet Leandro de Moratina. In the company of the latter, Goya in January 1800 was looking for new apartments for himself, since his house was purchased by Godoy for his mistress Pepita Tudo. In April, Goya painted a portrait of Godoy's wife, the Countess de Chinchon, daughter of Don Luis. In June 1800, Goya bought a house on the corner of Valverde and Desengaño streets for 234,000 reais. In November of the same year, “Maja Nude” was seen in the apartments of the Godoy Palace. By June 1801, Goya had completed the famous “Portrait of the Family of Charles IV” (where he depicted with psychological authenticity all members of the king’s family), full-length portraits of the king and queen and the “Equestrian Portrait of Charles IV,” which was less successful than the portrait of Maria Luisa. In May 1801, Goya also painted a portrait of Godoy in an imposing pose, at that time the dubious triumphant of the Orange War. In 1801-1803, Francisco painted 4 tondos for his own home. In 1802, “Mach Dressed” also appeared, which depicts the same model and in the same pose as in “Mach Nude.” In July 1802, Goya's patron, the Duchess of Alba, died; a drawing by Goya with a design for a tomb for the duchess has been preserved. In July 1803, Goya offered the king Caprichos copper plates and unsold etchings for his engraving workshop. From this time, until 1808, Goya stopped receiving orders from the court, but retained his salary. His financial condition allowed him to buy another house on de los Reyes Street. In the same 1803, Zapater, with whom Goya had not corresponded since 1799, died. From 1803 to 1808, Goya created almost exclusively only portraits: the young Count de Fernand Nunez (son of a close friend of Charles III), the Marquis de San Adrian (a typical Spanish grandee and macho friend of Cabarrus), the Marquise de Villafranca (member of the Alba family), the lady Isabel de Lobo y Porcel and the portrait of the daughter of the Duke of Osuna. In 1805, Goya arranged the wedding of his 21-year-old son Javier with Gumercinda Goicoechea, a relative of major Basque financiers. Goya painted a number of drawings of the newlyweds and gave them his house on Rue de los Reyes. At this time, the customers for the portraits were the emerging big bourgeoisie in Spain: Porcel, Feliz de Azara (naturalist), Teresa Sureda (wife of the manager of the Buen Retiro porcelain manufactory), Sabasa Garcia, Pedro Mocarte and others. In 1806, the arrest of the bandit Maragato occurred, which caused a resonance among the people. Goya created 6 paintings on this occasion.

"Disasters of War" (1808-1814)

1808 was a year of upheaval for all of Spain. It was occupied by the French, and an uprising broke out in Madrid, leading to a protracted guerrilla war. Before the departure of the new king Ferdinand VII to Bayonne, where he will be arrested along with the entire royal family, the Academy of San Fernando commissions Goya to paint his portrait. However, the session was shortened and, as it turned out, the last, so Goya had to complete the portrait from memory. During the war years, however, Goya managed to create a number of his outstanding genre paintings: “Swings on the Balcony”, “Girls, or Letter”, “Old Women, or Que tal?”, “The Forge” and “Lazarillo de Tormes”. But, impressed by the chaos happening in the country, Goya again took up the chisel and created a series of etchings “Disasters of War”. The plots of this series, permeated with hatred for the horrors of war and compassion for the innocent victims of the “arrogant will” of Napoleon I, are also depicted in Goya’s paintings of that period. Only 2 paintings stand out from this series in depicting war: “Casting Bullets” and “Making Gunpowder in the Sierra de Tardienta Mountains.” The painting "The Funeral of a Sardine", painted between 1812 and 1819, is also filled with political overtones. In June, Goya became a widower and Josepha died. The subsequent division of property between Goya and his son Javier remains for us the only source of information about Goya's daily life after Zapater's death in 1800.

In 1812, Wellington entered Madrid and Goya was commissioned to paint his portrait. However, open hostility arose between them, which led to the model’s dissatisfaction with Goya’s work and almost led to a sharp clash between them. After Spain was finally liberated from the French, Goya captured the events of the Madrid Uprising in two famous canvases: “The Revolt of the Puerta del Sol on May 2, 1808” and “The Execution of the Madrid Rebels on the Night of May 3, 1808” (both ca. 1814 , Madrid, Prado).

Restoration of the Spanish Bourbons (1814-1819)

But on May 18, 1814, Ferdinand VII abolished the 1812 constitution, dissolved the Cortes, and imprisoned a number of liberal deputies. In the current climate of dictatorship and persecution, a large number of Goya’s masterpieces are hidden in the Academy of San Fernando. Goya was cleared of all suspicions of collaboration with the French invaders (he did not even receive a salary during the occupation) and was allowed to work calmly, although Ferdinand VII was hostile to Goya. On May 30, 1815, the king presided over the general council of the Philippine Company, where he received a significant loan. Goya was commissioned to immortalize this event in the Philippine Council, where he masterfully depicted space and lighting effects. Separately, Goya painted almost monochrome portraits of members of the Company: Miguel de Lardizabal, Ignacio Omulrian and José Muñarriz. But the monumental “Portrait of the Duke of San Carlos” takes advantage of all the advantages of polychrome. In 1815, he depicted himself in the “Bust Portrait”, where he does not look his almost 70 years. In 1816 he created a new series of etchings, “Tauromachy”. Goya began to commission portraits from the children of his former patrons: “Don Francisco de Borja Telles Giron,” a portrait of the 10th Duke of Osuna, or her sister, the Duchess of Abrantes. In January 1818, Goya completed a large canvas depicting the two patron saints of Seville, Justa and Rufina, in voluptuous swings, for the Seville Cathedral. On February 19, 1819, Goya purchased for 60,000 reais a rural house called “House of the Deaf,” located behind the bridge leading to Segovia from the meadow of San Isidro. In August he completed The Last Communion of St. Joseph of Calasan" for the Church of Escuelas Pias in Madrid. For this work, Goya received 16,000 reais, of which he returned 6,800 reais out of respect for the hero of the painting to the prior and also presented his small painting “Prayer for the Cup.”

"Black Pictures", life in Bordeaux and death (1820-1828)

At the beginning of 1820, Goya became seriously ill. On April 4, he attended an academic meeting for the last time. Presumably in the spring or summer of 1823, Goya painted the walls of his “House of the Deaf” on top of his vast landscapes with scenes castigating the eternal madness and misfortunes of humanity. He met Leocadia de Weiss, the wife of businessman Isidro Weiss, who then divorces her husband. She had a daughter from Goya, who was named Rosarita.

Fearing persecution from the new government of Spain, in 1824 Goya, together with Leocadia and little Rosarita, went to France, where Louis XVIII now reigned (and from September 16, 1824, Charles X). Goya spent the last four years of his life in this country. Worried for his own safety in the winter of 1823-1824, Goya found shelter with Abbot Duaso. And in May 1824, he received permission to travel to the Plombier waters, but in fact Goya moved to Bordeaux, where many of his friends took refuge. In the summer of the same year, he was in Paris, where he created “Bullfight” and portraits of his friends: Joaquin Ferrer and his wife. Upon returning to Bordeaux, Goya took up a new lithography technique: “Portrait of the Engraver Golon” ​​and 4 sheets called “The Bulls of Bordeaux.” Goya periodically extended his vacation in France. In May 1825, Francisco again became seriously ill, but quickly recovered and quickly created about 40 miniatures on ivory. In 1826, Goya returned to Madrid and obtained permission from the court to retire with his salary and the opportunity to visit France. In 1827, in Bordeaux, Goya painted a portrait of the banker Santiago Galos, who managed his finances, as well as a portrait of the Spanish merchant Juan Bautista Mugiro, a relative of his daughter-in-law. In the summer of the same year, Goya was last in Madrid, where he depicted his 21-year-old grandson Mariano Goya on canvas. Upon returning to Bordeaux, Goya created his last masterpieces: a portrait of the former mayor of Madrid Pio de Molina and a sketch of “The Milkmaid of Bordeaux.” At the beginning of 1828, Goya was preparing for the arrival of his son and his wife, who were heading to Paris. Francisco received them at the end of March, and on April 16, 1828, he died in his apartments at Fosse de l'Intendance in Bordeaux. "Young Bull", 1780;

  • "Wounded Mason", 1786;
  • "Game of Blind Man's Bluff", 1791.

    • Since the beginning of the 1780s, Goya has gained fame as a portrait painter:

    • Portrait of the Count of Floridablanca,1782-83 (Urquijo Bank, Madrid)
    • "The Family of the Duke of Osuna", 1787, (Prado);
    • Portrait of the Marquise A. Pontejos, circa 1787 (National Gallery of Art, Washington);
    • Senora Bermudez(Museum of Fine Arts, Budapest);
    • Francisco Bayeu(Prado), Dr. Peral(National Gallery, London) both 1796;
    • Ferdinand Guillemardet, 1798 (Louvre, Paris),
    • "La Tirana", 1799 (AH, Madrid);
    • "The Family of King Charles IV" 1800 (Prado);
    • Sabas Garcia, circa 1805 (National Gallery of Art, Washington);
    • Isabel Covos de Porcel, circa 1806 (National Gallery, London);
    • portrait of T. Perez, (1820 (Metropolitan Museum);
    • P. de Molina, 1828 (collection of O. Reinhart, Winterthur).

    The nature of his art changed dramatically from the beginning of the 1790s before the events of the French Revolution. Life affirmation in Goya's work is replaced by deep dissatisfaction, the festive sonority and sophistication of light shades are replaced by sharp clashes of dark and light, Tiepolo's passion for mastering the traditions of Velazquez, El Greco, and later Rembrandt.

    In his paintings, tragedy and darkness increasingly reign, absorbing the figures, the graphics become sharp: the swiftness of the pen drawing, the scratching stroke of the needle in the etching, the light and shadow effects of aquatint. Closeness with the Spanish enlighteners (G. M. Jovellanos y Ramirez, M. J. Quintana) exacerbated Goya’s hostility towards feudal-clerical Spain. Among the famous works of that time - The Sleep of Reason Gives Birth to Monsters.

    Paintings dedicated to the liberation of Spain

    • "Uprising of May 2, 1808 in Madrid";
    • "Execution of the rebels on the night of May 3, 1808"(both circa 1814, Prado).

    Self-portrait(1815, Prado).

    Series of etchings

    • "Caprichos",1797-1798 - an 80-sheet work with commentary that reveals the ugliness of the moral, political and spiritual foundations of the Spanish “old order”;
    • "Tauromachy", 1815 - 33 etchings, published in 1816 in Madrid;
    • "Disasters of War", 1810-1820 - 82 sheets, published in 1863 in Madrid), executed mostly during the period of the people's liberation wars against the Napoleonic invasion and the first Spanish revolution (1808-1814);
    • "Disparates" ("Quims" or "Stupidities"), 1820-1823 - 22 sheets, published in 1863 in Madrid under the title "Los Proverbios" ("Parables", "Proverbs").

    The bulk of the unique copper plates engraved by Goya are preserved at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando in Madrid. During the artist's lifetime, his etchings were not widely known. The Disasters of War and Proverbs were first published by the Academy of San Fernando only in 1863, 35 years after his death.

    Films about Goya

    • 1958 - “Naked Maha” ( The Naked Maja), made in the USA - Italy - France. Directed by Henry Coster; in the role of Goya - Anthony Franciosa.
    • 1971 - “Goya, or the Hard Path of Knowledge”, produced by the USSR - GDR - Bulgaria - Yugoslavia. Based on the novel of the same name by Lion Feuchtwanger. Directed by Konrad Wolf; in the role of Goya - Donatas Banionis.
    • 1985 - “Goya” ( Goya), made in Spain. Directed by Jose Ramon Larraz; in the role of Goya - Enric Maho and Jorge Sanz.
    • 1999 - “Goya in Bordeaux” ( Goya en Burdeos), made in Italy - Spain. Directed by Carlos Saura; in the role of Goya - Francisco Rabal.
    • 1999 - “Naked Maha” ( Volaverunt), made in France - Spain. Directed by Bigas Luna; in the role of Goya - Jorge Perugorria.
    • 2006 - “Ghosts of Goya”, produced in Spain - USA. Directed by Milos Forman; in the role of Goya - Stellan Skarsgård.
    • 2015 - Mordecai ( Mortdecai) - about the theft of a Goya painting.

    Memory

    • The asteroid (6592) Goya, discovered by astronomer Lyudmila Karachkina at the Crimean Astrophysical Observatory on October 3, 1986, is named in honor of F. Goya.
    • In memory of the artist, in Spain in 1930 the scandalous series “Maja Nude” was released - the world’s first postage stamps in the nude genre.
    • A crater on Mercury is named after Goya.
    Categories:

    › Francisco Goya

    Goya, Francisco, actually José de Goya y Lucientes - Spanish painter. Goya was born in 1746 in a village near Zaragoza, into a peasant family. From an early age, the lively boy showed a great inclination towards painting and at the age of 14 he entered the artist’s studio in Zaragoza. Having taken part in a battle with one of the religious brotherhoods, Goya had to flee and in 1765 he ended up in Madrid. Love adventures and duels, which were very numerous for the strong and dexterous Goya, and dangers and persecution from the Inquisition for one of the duels forced him to leave Madrid. In a troupe of bullfighters, gradually moving from city to city, Francisco Goya reached Italy and, finally, Rome, which had long attracted him to itself.

    His stay in Italy and his acquaintance with the Italian school did not affect Goya at all. And in classical Rome, in communication with David, Francisco Goya remained himself and took nothing from classicism: Goya took subjects for his paintings painted in Rome from Spanish life and attracted attention with them.

    Francisco Goya. Portrait of Gaspar Jovellanos, 1798

    Returning to Spain in 1775, Goya commissioned 30 sketches for the royal carpet factory. Contrary to custom, in them he did not reproduce classical scenes, but depicted scenes from Spanish life - folk entertainment, games, hunting, fishing. These 30 very vital cardboards marked the beginning of the fame of Francisco Goya. In 1780 he was made a member of the Madrid Academy of Arts, in 1786 - a court painter and in 1795 - president of the academy.

    Francisco Goya. Macha nude, 1799-1800

    In 1798, Goya painted frescoes in the Church of San Antonio della Florida near Madrid and achieved the highest fame at court and among the nobility. He was inundated with orders for portraits. Of the 200 portraits, the best are those whose originals fascinated Goya. Such are the portraits of the queens Maria Josepha, Isabella of Sicily and two portraits of Macha, dressed and naked, full of a peculiar sensual charm.

    Francisco Goya. Maha dressed, 1800-1803

    But Goya at this time, simultaneously with painting portraits in talented fantastic drawings, gave himself up to castigating with inexorable satire the various vices of the aristocracy and monasticism and Spanish morals in general.

    Almost one after the other, a series of engravings by Goya came out under the titles “Caprichos” (80 sheets, 1793 – 1798), “Tauromachy” (30 sheets, 1801), “Proverbs” (18 sheets, circa 1810). In 1810 - 15 he published 80 drawings of "Disasters of War", depicting scenes and horrors of the French invasion of Spain.

    To the board Ferdinand VII Francisco Goya was forced to leave Madrid once again, and this time forever. First, in 1822, Goya settled in Paris, then moved to Bordeaux and died there in 1828 at the age of 82, still full of life, strength and indomitable energy.

    Francisco Goya. Spanish King Ferdinand VII, c. 1814

    Goya is one of the most outstanding Spanish artists. His religious paintings and frescoes, painted without the appropriate mood, are of little importance. More important are his characteristic portraits, and his depictions of national life are especially valuable, in which he was the first, in the era of classicism, to discover Spanish reality and with all his strength showed a deep understanding of it and a brilliant realistic talent. Goya's engravings, full of anger and fantasy, are fresh and strong. As a painter, Goya subtly mastered chiaroscuro Rembrandt and light Velazquez. Sometimes he painted with impressionism and gave at the beginning of the 19th century. examples of what emerged at the end of the 19th century impressionists.

    Literature about Francisco Goya

    Matheron,"Biography of Goya" (1858)

    Iriarte,"Goya" (1867)

    Lefort,"Francisco Goya"

    Benoit, "Goya" ("Rose Hip")

    Bertels,"Francisco Goya"

    Kan,"Francisco Goya"

    Francisco Goya, who later became the most famous portrait painter of the era of Spanish romanticism, was born in 1746 in the mountain village of Fuendetodos, where he spent his early childhood. Francisco did not receive sufficient education; he learned the basics of literacy at a church school and always wrote with errors.

    Because of this, he was very successful in the artistic field, leaving imperishable creations for his descendants. Thanks to his truly magical brush, everyone can plunge into the life of Spanish society of the late 17th – early 18th centuries, see the faces of beautiful ladies and noble grandees, members of the royal family, as well as incomparable scenes from the life of ordinary people.

    The artist's creative path was long and thorny. From the age of fourteen, Francisco studied painting in the studio of Luzana y Martinez in Zaragoza. Then circumstances forced the aspiring artist to leave his homeland and move to the capital of the country, Madrid. Here he tried twice, in 1764 and 1766, to enter the Academy of Fine Arts, but his attempts were unsuccessful. The teachers were unable to discern the emerging talent and appreciate the level of artistic skill of the young provincial from Zaragoza. In Madrid, Francisco had to earn his living by washing dishes in the Botin tavern.

    After the failure, Goya went to Rome for new impressions and returned to his homeland only in 1771. For two years, from 1772 to 1774, he worked in the Aula Den monastery, painting the monastery church with paintings from the life of the Virgin Mary.

    At the age of 27, Francisco enters into a very profitable marriage for himself - he marries Josefa Bayeu, the sister of the court artist Bayeu. Thanks to the patronage of his brother-in-law, he receives an order from the royal tapestry manufactory, which he fulfills with pleasure, drawing beautiful Spanish girls with gentlemen, mischievous children, and dressed-up villagers. Goya lived with his wife for 39 years and during this time he painted only one portrait of her. Of the children born in this family union, only one boy survived, who, like his great father, chose the path of an artist. Francisco Goya was not distinguished by marital fidelity; he had many affairs with both aristocrats and commoners. But the main love of his life was the Duchess of Alba, with whom he forgot about the existence of all other women.

    Coming from a family of artisans and an impoverished aristocrat, Francisco Goya, thanks to his talent and hard work, managed to make a dizzying career and become the court artist first of King Charles III, and after his death in 1788 - Charles IV. His painting “The Family of Charles IV” is widely known, where the composition contains a self-portrait of the artist himself.

    During the liberation struggle of the Spaniards against the French enslavers, Francisco Goya puts aside his brush and picks up his chisel in order to reflect all the horrors inherent in war through etchings of “The Disasters of War”.

    A dark spot in Goya's creative collection is the Black Paintings. The background to the appearance of the paintings is as follows. In 1819, the artist purchased a two-story house near Madrid, known as the “House of the Deaf.” The previous owner, like Goya, was deaf (the artist lost his hearing after a serious illness and miraculously survived). Goya painted 14 very unusual and ominous paintings right on the walls of the house, the most terrible of which is “Saturn Devouring His Son.”

    In 1824, the artist, who had lost the favor of King Ferdinand, left Spain and lived in the French city of Bordeaux until his death. Goya's old age was brightened up by Leocadia de Weiss, who left her husband for the sake of the deaf elderly artist. At the age of 82, Francisco Goya, in whose mind both dark and light worlds are intertwined, passes into eternity, leaving us with his controversial but very talented works. The most famous of them are the double canvas “Maja Dressed,” with “Naked Macha” hidden underneath it, a series of etchings “Caprichos,” portraits of his beloved Cayetana Alba.