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Francisco de Goya: 1746-1828
Francisco de Goya was Spain's leading artist of the late 18th and early 19th centuries, achieving renown throughout Europe as the painter who most reflected the philosophy of the Enlightenment and, later, Romanticism. He was prolific as both a painter and a printmaker. His prints -- such as this selection from Los Caprichos -- castigate the folly, superstition, and cruelty of humankind, whereas his paintings range from lighthearted images to dark and deeply disturbing subjects. The artist's sometimes-unflattering portraits demonstrate great insight into the human potential for both good and evil; and his scenes from contemporary history show an unusual empathy for the victims of political suffering. After serving under various political regimes, Goya ended his career creating the so-called black paintings for his own house, Quinta del sordo (House of the Deaf Man). These works have been said to express the darkest vision of human life ever imagined. |