Goya

Goya, Francisco de Goya y Lucientes (1746–1828), commonly known simply as Francisco Goya, was a Spanish painter and printmaker whose work bridges the late Enlightenment and early Romanticism. He is regarded as one of the most important figures in Western art for his powerful investigations of social and political themes, as well as his innovations in painting and printmaking.

Born in Fuendetodos, Aragón, Goya trained in Zaragoza before moving to Madrid, where he established a reputation as a portrait painter for the aristocracy and the royal court. He served as court painter to Charles IV, producing numerous royal portraits and ceremonial works, while developing a personal, expressive style that grew increasingly psychologically perceptive. His early work shows influence from Italian and Spanish traditions, but his later prints and paintings reveal a darker, more critical vision of society.

Key works include the Caprichos (1799), a series of satirical etchings that critique superstition, violence, and human folly; The Nude Maja (c. 1797–1800) and The Clothed Maja, famous for their bold realism; and The Third of May 1808 (1814), a stark indictment of war and civilian suffering. His Disasters of War (1810–1820s) and the Black Paintings (c. 1819–1823) further demonstrate his shift toward somber, confrontational imagery.

After the fall of the monarchy, Goya spent his final years in France, dying in Bordeaux in 1828. His work influenced later generations of artists, and is often cited as a precursor to modern expressions of psychological intensity and social critique.