Blog Post 10: Some Messed up Art
Francisco Goya's tumultuous life is capitalized by the "Black Paintings" that he produced while he was in a deep state of dejection shortly after the Napoleonic wars and becoming deaf from two severe illnesses. Goya also produced a vast series of satirical etchings called "Los Caprichos" to criticize the ignorance of the Spanish society he witness at the time. Both of the series of art works were intended to criticize the failure of the Spanish state and the horrors during the Napoleonic wars. However, the Black Paintings were never intended to be revealed to the public, especially since Goya painted them directly onto the walls of his home.
This etching / aquatint drawing is titled "The Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters" (1799) it is 21.5 cm by 15 cm and is one of the more famous etchings from Los Caprichos. This depicts a sleeping Goya on his drawing desk as he is harassed by an onslaught of bats and owls. I believe that Goya is haunted by the horrid nature of the Napoleonic war in Spain, even as he rests he cannot stop thinking about it which compels him to draw more. I was drawn to the figures in the background as they either look at Goya or stare dreadfully at the viewer which amplifies the dread depicted in this etching.
This scene is titled "Duel with Cudgels" (1820-1823) it is 123 cm by 266 cm and it depicts two men clubbing each other relentlessly in front of a beautiful mountain valley. Goya painted this directly onto his walls along with oil paint like the other Black Paintings but was transferred from the wall to canvas. The first thing I noticed was that these two men to not have feet and they appear to be literally attached to the ground. The two figures are also possess different shades of color on their uniform which could possibly indicate that they are combating each other in order to gain control of land. In turn, Goya could be portraying the war between the French and the Spanish during the Napoleonic wars. I was drawn to this painting because it was one of the few paintings that actually had bright colors in the background.
Both series of paintings and etchings are critical points in Goya's legacy as a plethora of meaning can be derived from all of his work on the Black Paintings and Los Caprichos. His work provides a drastically different depiction of warfare and life during perilous times since he is not afraid of showing the most brutal of details in his work. I look forward to delving into Goya's works of art for my annotated bibliography as it should be a unique topic to discuss.
This etching / aquatint drawing is titled "The Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters" (1799) it is 21.5 cm by 15 cm and is one of the more famous etchings from Los Caprichos. This depicts a sleeping Goya on his drawing desk as he is harassed by an onslaught of bats and owls. I believe that Goya is haunted by the horrid nature of the Napoleonic war in Spain, even as he rests he cannot stop thinking about it which compels him to draw more. I was drawn to the figures in the background as they either look at Goya or stare dreadfully at the viewer which amplifies the dread depicted in this etching.
This scene is titled "Duel with Cudgels" (1820-1823) it is 123 cm by 266 cm and it depicts two men clubbing each other relentlessly in front of a beautiful mountain valley. Goya painted this directly onto his walls along with oil paint like the other Black Paintings but was transferred from the wall to canvas. The first thing I noticed was that these two men to not have feet and they appear to be literally attached to the ground. The two figures are also possess different shades of color on their uniform which could possibly indicate that they are combating each other in order to gain control of land. In turn, Goya could be portraying the war between the French and the Spanish during the Napoleonic wars. I was drawn to this painting because it was one of the few paintings that actually had bright colors in the background.
Both series of paintings and etchings are critical points in Goya's legacy as a plethora of meaning can be derived from all of his work on the Black Paintings and Los Caprichos. His work provides a drastically different depiction of warfare and life during perilous times since he is not afraid of showing the most brutal of details in his work. I look forward to delving into Goya's works of art for my annotated bibliography as it should be a unique topic to discuss.
The "Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters" etching is so interesting. When I was looking through his 'los caprichos' works, that one struck me as well. It's so indicative of the issues that Goya might have been facing in his latter years of life, especially given that they might not have been intended to share with the public.
ReplyDeleteI find that fact to be particularly moving, because it may imply that a lot of these etchings may have a very particular authenticity since they were just for Goya, and not for the general population. Goya had no ulterior motive in constructing these besides self-expression. It adds an interesting twist to each individual etching, that may not be present in some of his artistic colleagues. Would you agree?
Hey Marcus,
ReplyDeleteI also almost did this Capricho but only just decided on another one. I love how the creatures are all in varying degrees of light intensity and most of them are very different in form from one another. It is remarkably different from the Capricho I decided to feature called "Estan Calientes". That scene is very calm and normal while this one seems to be very uneasy. I really appreciated your take and insight on these two pieces of work. I find that every person that gives their opinion on Goya's work just makes his work become all the more enjoyable and interesting to talk and learn about.