Goya, etchings: description, features, topics

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

Francisco Goya lived in a difficult 19th century. A gifted painter and engraver, he became a legend of his time. Having lived a long and interesting life, he managed to capture its most difficult moments in art. His series of etchings is a reflection of the injustices of the old Spanish order, the dire consequences of the war and the first Spanish revolution.

Francisco Goya

Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes was born in Spain in 1746 to a poor family. He spent his childhood in the countryside. Having moved to the city of Zaragoza in 1760, Francisco apprenticed to a local artist. Stormy youth and bright temperament force the young man to leave the city and go to Madrid.

In the capital of Spain, the young artist tries twice to enter the Art Academy of San Fernando, but, unfortunately, fails in both cases. Then he decides to go on a trip to Italy. All this time, Goya diligently paints and sends them to Madrid, which ultimately bears fruit. He is noticed. At 31, he returns to Zaragoza, where he begins an active artistic career. He paintschurches, many of his frescoes are praised, which encourages the young man to go back to the capital.

Francisco gets an apprentice to the court painter Francisco Bayeu, marries his sister and is actively fixed at court. When Bayeu died, Goya became the full owner of his workshop.

After he became a court painter, his career took off. He paints portraits first of famous nobles, and then of the royal family, which makes him one of the most famous Italian portrait painters.

In 1799, at the age of 53, Francisco Goya reaches the peak of his career, he receives the rank of the first court painter of King Charles IV. At the same time, he began a series of his famous etchings, which were connected with the politics of that time and with the life of the country's population.

In 1824, the power in the country changes, and the new king Ferdinand is not too fond of the artist. Goya is forced to leave for France, where he died at the age of 82.

18th-19th century Spain

The artist spent his entire life in his native Spain, he painted portraits of her high society and engravings about her life. During his long life, Goya witnessed the horrific events of that time. The artist lived during the time of the Spanish Inquisition, when the church had a huge influence in the state and, as a result, greatly hampered social progress. The Inquisition was officially abolished only 10 years after the death of the artist, for 6 centuries of its existence, it killed thousands of innocent people.

During the periodDuring the Napoleonic Wars, Spain was drowning in blood. The occupation of Spain greatly affected its economy, the country was starving, but continued active resistance. For six years, the Spaniards fought furiously against the Napoleonic invaders and in the end they still won, albeit at the cost of millions of lives.

The civil revolution that broke out after that will lead to a protracted guerrilla war. All these terrible events will be reflected in the engravings and etchings of the artist.

Goya's "Disasters of War" etchings are permeated with hatred for war and deep compassion for its victims.

Etching - what is it?

Etching is metal engraving. In the manufacture of such engravings, a metal plate is used, which is covered with acid-resistant varnish. After that, a drawing is "scratched" on this plate with special tools. Then everything is placed in acid (in translation, "etching" is translated as "strong water"), which removes the metal in places free from varnish. Then, after the acid, the remains of the varnish are removed, and paint is applied to the cleaned plate. This technique began to be used in the 16th century.

Many famous artists worked in this technique: Ivan Shishkin, Albrecht Dürer, Rembrandt, Salvador Dali and F. Goya.

A series of etchings by Goya will take pride of place in world art. These etchings were created to somehow change society.

Caprichos

Francisco Goya created the etchings "Caprichos", which in Spanish means "Whims". These are 80 fantastic pictures on social, political and religious themes. EtchingsGoya's "Caprichos" ridicule and at the same time make you think about everyday things.

Young girls who get married so easily and then expect ease in family life, in the etching "They say yes and reach out to the first person they meet." Little children who are spoiled by their parents, as a result of which they become capricious and unbearable - "Mama's boy." Vices and debauchery of men and women - etching "One is worth the other." An arrogant secular society where "No one knows anyone", everyone tries to appear not who they really are. The artist makes fun of mysticism in the painting "Hunting for Teeth" and drunkenness in the plot "His house is burning down." Several etchings depicting people with donkey heads speak of the stupidity of social norms.

But the most famous etching in the "Caprichos" series by Francisco Goya is "The Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters". It was "Sleep" that the artist originally wanted to call this series.

When the mind sleeps, fantasy in sleepy dreams gives birth to monsters, but when combined with the mind, fantasy becomes the mother of art and all its wonderful creations.

Goya's series of etchings "Caprichos" was completed in 1799. She was very brave and displeased the king. It was the "inconvenient" truth about the society, church and politics of the time. No wonder the artist paid such attention to Spanish women who sought toquickly marry a rich groom, and then led a dissolute life.

The theme of the "holy inquisition", or rather, the absurdity of its power, Goya also devoted a lot of engravings.

But more he made fun of the most common human vices: greed, laziness, debauchery, deceit, vanity.

Tavromachia

Like any Spaniard, Goya was very fond of bullfighting all his life. She fascinated and delighted him. It is not surprising that the artist dedicated 33 miniatures to her. Already in adulthood, Goya creates etchings "Tauromachia" (translated from Spanish as "Fighting bulls"), which depicts brave Moors in the arena with violent animals.

The etchings were not commercially successful, but certainly became another confirmation of the artist's talent.

Disasters of War

The heaviest series of etchings, consisting of 82 pieces, was originally named by the artist "Fatal consequences of the bloody war of Spain with Bonaparte and other expressive capricos". Goya wholeheartedly worried and sympathized with his people. Weakened and exhausted after the war with Napoleon, Spain suffered, but did not give up. It is impossible to describe what the Spaniards had to endure during these terrible years of occupation.

Goya creates etchings in which he tries to depict the depth of suffering in his native country. The revolution of 1789, the cruel Inquisition, the war and two more revolutions of the 19th century fell on his century.

A series of etchings "The Disasters of War" by Francisco Goya will be a reflection of the pain that the artist experienced during theseyears. On the faces of the people depicted by him, horror and fear, pain and despair are read.

The brutal suppression of the popular revolt will be reflected in the engraving "The execution of the rebels on the night of May 3rd". The whole series is connected with the heroic struggle of the people of Spain for their freedom. Goya depicts a soldier who tries to rape a girl and is stabbed in the back by an old woman, in the engraving "They do not want". He draws many corpses shouting "I saw it!". His work is shocking and never forgets the nightmare that every Spaniard went through during those terrible years.

The engraving "The Truth is Dead" ends the series of etchings. In the center of the picture lies a naked girl, personifying Spain, and men are praying above her. A very symbolic conclusion.

Goya's etchings are expressive, the types of people depicted impress with their emotionality. Dynamic plots excite the imagination. In the form of a fable, a story, the artist exposes the true court, noble nobles, the clergy and all the vices of society that he observes daily among people.

Disparates

Another series of engravings of 22 sheets. These are illustrations of parables and proverbs. Goya's etchings depicted creepy, gloomy and frightening. These engravings were created in the period 1816-1820, when the artist was almost deaf. At this time, he lived alone, and more and more often his works were overshadowed by the events of the past years. Someone sees madness in these works, and someone sees the nightmares of a lonely deaf person.

Thisa mysterious series of etchings was the last in the work of the great artist.

Memory of Goya

Of course, such a talented and extraordinary artist could not leave life without a trace. During his long career, he created many plot paintings, such as "Uprising", "Giants", "Seller of dishes". Having become a court painter, he paints many portraits of the most famous personalities of that time.

His portrait works - "Families of the Duke and Duchess of Osuna", "The Family of Charles IV", "Nude Maja" - are now kept in the most famous museums in the world.

Seven films were made about Goya, the most famous of which is Goya's Ghosts.

A postage stamp dedicated to Francisco Goya was issued in Spain in 1930.

In 1986, an asteroid was named after the artist.

In closing

During his lifetime, the artist Francisco Goya was very famous, he became a well-known portrait painter and a fairly we althy citizen of his country. However, the etchings of Francisco Goya did not gain such wide popularity in his time. They will not be published until 35 years after the death of the author.

But no matter how many years have passed, the themes that the artist raises in his engravings are relevant to this day. Human vices have not gone away, and the horrors of war have not changed: the same blood, violence and corpses. At different times, those who are not indifferent fought the injustice and impunity of their era in different ways. Francisco Goya had a multifaceted talent that allowed him to express his indifferenceto what is happening around in engravings. Now his etchings are exhibited at the Prado Museum and at the Palazzo de Liria in Madrid.