Francisco de Goya: Art Through the Ages
Neoclassicism (1750-1830)
The surge of Neoclassicism coincided with the Enlightenment and enlightened absolutism, continuing through the French Revolution (1789-95), the Napoleonic empire, and the Restoration. This era significantly changed life, history, and thought. Art became a tool for the enlightened bourgeoisie, guided by reason and the state, against the old political and ideological regime.
From 1785, with Jacques-Louis David’s “The Oath of the Horatii,” a new aesthetic emerged, reflecting the Enlightenment idea that “the purpose of art is to move to action and invite the masses.” This artistic language proclaimed morality, idealism, and human rights. David’s work identified with the French Revolution, as he was commissioned to create commemorative monuments.
Following the revolutionary illusions and the Napoleonic Empire, the old social classes reacted. With the Treaty of Vienna (1815), the Restoration began.
Romanticism (First Half of the 19th Century)
Romanticism emerged in the late 18th century as a response to the rationalism of the Enlightenment. It became a way of life governed by two principles: the predominance of imagination and sensitivity over reason, and individualism. This new style sought inspiration in the literature and art of the Middle Ages, as well as in the Eastern and Islamic worlds. Its origins can be traced to 19th-century German thinkers.
Romanticism declared itself anti-bourgeois, revolutionary, and nationalist, as exemplified by Eugène Delacroix’s “Liberty Leading the People” (1830), which commemorates the July Revolution. After the 1848 revolutions, liberalism was imposed in European countries, and the bourgeoisie became the ruling class.
Realism (Second Half of the 19th Century)
Realism arose during a period marked by economic and social changes brought about by the Industrial Revolution. These changes caused great social injustice. Realism rejected the idealization of reality, as seen in Gustave Courbet’s “A Burial At Ornans” and Jean-François Millet’s “The Angelus.” Honoré Daumier’s “The Third-Class Carriage” also reflects this movement.
Many realist artists were accused of being socialists and revolutionaries for depicting the injustices suffered by the proletariat. The bourgeoisie consolidated its power and influenced artistic taste through annual or biannual exhibitions, which served as platforms for artists to showcase their works and their fascination with the exotic. Japonisme, a taste for Japanese art, was introduced during this period.
Francisco de Goya (1746-1828)
Francisco de Goya began his artistic education in Zaragoza and moved to Madrid in 1773. He broke with tradition, influenced by Italian principles, and rejected Neoclassicism. Goya prioritized color over drawing, using quick brushstrokes and dynamic masses. He stood out from his contemporaries through his variety and richness of color, light, and brilliance, becoming the first “modern” painter. However, he was not understood by his contemporaries until Édouard Manet, who, upon contemplating “The Balcony”, recognized Goya’s ability to convey feelings.
Goya’s work would inspire Expressionists and Surrealists. His “black paintings” would influence artists throughout the 19th and 20th centuries.
Artistic Stages
First Stage (1773-1792)
Goya’s first stage culminated in a series of tapestries. These works offer an optimistic and idealized view of life, designed to decorate the royal palaces. They provide a poetic vision of Madrid in the second half of the 18th century, reflecting a happier time in Goya’s life. His Rococo compositions and Baroque use of light and landscape are evident in works like “The Grape Harvest.”
Second Stage (1792-1814)
This stage marks Goya’s maturity as a portraitist. He depicts the suffering and pathetic aspects of life. His technique is characterized by the presence of black, thick brushstrokes, broken lines, dramatic themes, and a gloomy fantasy that can be considered to have ended with the French invasion of 1808. After his trip to Cadiz, Goya became deaf, which sharpened his observation skills. A physical crisis joined a moral one, caused by unrequited love for the Duchess of Alba and disappointment with the French Revolution. This stage includes portraits that capture not only physical traits but also psychological states, such as “The Naked Maja.”
Last Period (1814-1828)
Goya’s last period focuses on historical themes, including “The Second of May 1808 in Madrid” and “The Third of May 1808.” These works feature dramatic expression and free technique. He also created the series of etchings “The Disasters of War,” reflecting his nihilism and retreat into irrationality. Goya decorated his house, known as the “Quinta del Sordo” (Deaf Man’s Villa), with the famous “black paintings,” which depict a diabolical, infernal, and monstrous world. These paintings contrast with the idealized scenes of his early tapestry cartoons. Goya used monochrome in themes like “Saturn Devouring His Son” and “Two Old Men Eating Soup.”
Engravings and Drawings
Goya was inspired by Albrecht Dürer and Rembrandt. He achieved expressive faces through the use of light, atmosphere, black spots, and etched lines. His series of etchings “Los Caprichos” (1799) and “Los Disparates” (1815-24) depict the impact of pain on people oppressed by hunger, suffering, and death. His works in “La Tauromaquia” (1816) are considered a prelude to Expressionism.