Goya

All about him!

Name: Francisco Goya. Born: 30th March 1746 in Fuendetodos. Died: 15th April 1828 in Bordeaux. At 13 he and his family moved to

Saragossa in northern Spain where he studied drawing and painting.

He applied for San Fernando college twice but they didn’t accept him.

His passion for art!

At the age of 14 his teacher told him to go and study art with Jose Luzian who was a famous artist in those days. After studying with Jose, Goya learned drawing, engraving, oil painting and lots more. Goya became so incredibly interested in art that he moved to Italy at age twenty four hoping to meet new painters. This is Jose.

His first mission

Returning to Spain after staying in Italy for a year, Goya stayed in Saragossa where he was awarded with his first commission. It was to paint six paintings for the palace of Sobradiel the Palace of Gabardo the King. His six paintings.

Goya’s married life.

Goya got married to Josefa Bayeu in July 1773 when Goya was 27.She was the sister of Francisco and Ramon Bayeu. Goya stayed in Saragossa for the first year of his marriage that is when he made a good connection to the Bayeu family. This is Goya's wife Josefa.

Madrid

In 1774, Francisco Goya was called to Madrid to follow his dream while at the same time working at the Royal Tapestry factory under his brother-in-law, Francisco Bayeu’s, supervision. Herked they’re for almost twenty years making cartoons and oil paintings that the weavers copied exactly onto wool. Already at twenty-eight, Goya was the top employee at the factory because he earned more from his boss than was supposed to be given.

Parasol

Goya’s first real painting, that was also successful, was called the Parasol. His work was greatly appreciated by the Prince and Princess of the Asturias. Hung over the doorway of the palace the Parasol was full of elegance and colour. The colours he used included ivory, black, Terre green, light red, Naples yellow and many more. Looking at the picture closely you will see that the two couples are at the top of the mountain sitting against the sky. Goya also added accessories to the figures to show the woman was royal.

After his war

After having a six-year break because of the war with England, Goya he went back to his workshop now a successful painter. Still studying and painting portraits for King Charles the third who died two years later; he was interested in King Charles the fourth and Maria Lusia. Later, Goya became so famous he took the position of First Painter to the King. As his painter he painted for him for many years. The paintings included new series of six cartoons, social scene, and second series for their princess.

Turning point

In 1792 Francisco discovered a horrible illness, just before he finished a successful painting called Sebastian Martinez, some of his best work . With the right medication his illness faded but all of a sudden it came back and soon he became deaf . Still even with his illness Goya was determined to carry on with his art Since Goya's illness left him deaf he was forced to now work on small paintings such as his witchcraft paintings and cabinet pictures.

Almost the end

By now it was past the 1800’s and at the time when Goya was nearly seventy-three. The French and Korean War had finally ended after five years. At this time, Goya became so seriously ill he was very close to dying. The odd illness that had made him deaf had come back to harm him again. Dr. Arrieta, Goya’s doctor, had helped him with the crisis and the following year he felt much better. Painting it as a thank you for saving his life, Goya created a painting for him called Self-Portrait with Dr. Arrieta. It was surely a very touching painting with Dr. Arrieta helping Goya fell better. At the bottom of the painting was a small space where Goya had written a grateful couple sentences (in Spanish) of how his doctor had saved his life.

R.I.P

Goya spent his last years in Spain creating many famous painting such as the Black Paintings, The Milkmaid of Bordeaux and The Deaf Man and more for king Louis VIII. At eighty Goya’s condition grew so much that he unfortunately died on April 15, 1828.

By Leah + Nicole