Creator story
Surprising fact
Deaf and isolated, the aging Goya painted the terrifying Black Paintings directly onto the walls of his own house, never meaning anyone to see them.
Source: Wikipedia / WikimediaRomanticism
Francisco Goya
Francisco Goya (1746–1828) was the last of the Old Masters and the first of the moderns. Court painter to the Spanish crown, he turned from elegant portraits to the nightmarish Black Paintings and unflinching scenes of war.
Goya's raw vision of human cruelty and madness opened the door to Romanticism, Expressionism and modern art.
- Rose to First Court Painter of Spain while secretly producing biting satirical prints.
- The Third of May 1808 reinvented how art depicts the horror of war.
- His late Black Paintings, including Saturn Devouring His Son, were murals in his own home.
Key works
Three entry points into the world of Francisco Goya
These works make it easiest to see how the artist changed form, content, and the very way art could exist in culture.
1800
Charles IV of Spain and His Family
Charles IV of Spain and His Family is an oil-on-canvas group portrait painting by the Spanish artist Francisco Goya. He began work on the painting in 1800, shortly after he became First Chamber Painter to the royal family, and completed it in the summer of 1801.
1800
La maja desnuda
The Naked Maja or The Nude Maja is an oil-on-canvas painting made around 1797–1800 by the Spanish artist Francisco de Goya, and has been in the Museo del Prado in Madrid since 1901.
1819
Saturn Devouring His Son
Saturn Devouring His Son is a painting by Spanish artist Francisco Goya. The work is one of the 14 so-called Black Paintings that Goya painted directly on the walls of his house some time between 1820 and 1823. It was transferred to canvas after Goya's death and is now in the Museo del Prado in Madrid.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Quick answers to what people most often search about this artist.
When did Francisco Goya live?
Francisco Goya was born in Spain in 1746 and died in 1828. He served as court painter to the Spanish crown and was one of the last Old Masters.
Why is Goya so important to art history?
Goya was the first to move from formal court portraits to unflinching depictions of war and madness, opening the road to Romanticism and 19th–20th century modern art.
What is Goya's most famous painting?
Among his best-known works are Saturn Devouring His Son from the Black Paintings series, The Nude Maja, and The Third of May 1808.
What are Goya's Black Paintings?
A late series the deaf, isolated artist painted directly on the walls of his own house, never intending anyone else to see them — the darkest, most personal part of his legacy.