Goya


This is a sketch of a self portrait by Goya that I did in the Prado Museum in Madrid.

Velazquez and Goya are two great artists closely associated with the Prado, and with Spain. I have been interested in the work of Velazquez since high school, when I first got involved in art. But my appreciation, and understanding, of Goya, has developed more recently.

The Prado has Goya’s collection of ‘Black Paintings’, work from late in the artist’s life that show his despair for humanity. You can see more here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Paintings
They are in a room on the lower level that was usually crowded, but I managed to spend some time there.

In that room were two more paintings by Goya, The Second of May and The Third of May. They depict public revolt against French occupation of Spain in 1808. Napoleon had seized power by sending in troops, stating deceptively that they were there to support the Spanish army. The French therefore entered with minimal resistance, and Napoleon installed his brother as king.

Where have we seen a leader prone to misstating facts? Could this describe a figure from contemporary life? What could such a figure have in mind?

Here are links to reproductions of the paintings:

https://www.museodelprado.es/en/the-collection/art-work/the-2nd-of-may-1808-in-madrid-or-the-fight/57dacf2e-5d10-4ded-85aa-9ff6f741f6b1

https://www.museodelprado.es/en/the-collection/art-work/the-3rd-of-may-1808-in-madrid-or-the-executions/5e177409-2993-4240-97fb-847a02c6496c

These are large paintings, about 9 by 11.5 feet each. They were hung next to each other, The Second of May on the left and The Third of May on the right. Individually they each make a strong statement, but together I found their power immense and undeniable. In The Second of May the city architecture slopes up and to the right, becoming less distinct toward the right hand side. Then in The Third of May a hill, against which Goya shows a citizen being executed, continues the form of the architecture, sloping back down. This massive form that stretches across the two 11 foot paintings started to feel like the Earth itself, in its weight and scale.

The paintings show the chaos of war on the left, and the horror of facing execution on the right. It is a bleak vision, and I find it a relevant warning today.



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