© Francisco Goya
About the Artist
Francisco Goya (1746–1828) is considered the most important Spanish artist of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. His work evolved from lighthearted Rococo styles to dark, introspective themes reflecting the turbulence of his era. Trained in Zaragoza and influenced by Enlightenment ideals, Goya rose through the ranks of royal patronage, producing portraits, tapestry cartoons, and etchings. His artistry deepened following a severe illness that left him deaf, leading to powerful works like Los Caprichos and The Disasters of War, which critiqued superstition, violence, and tyranny. Goya witnessed the fall of the Bourbon monarchy, Napoleon’s invasion, and Spain’s return to absolutism, events that profoundly shaped his later paintings. In his final years, he created the haunting Black Paintings in isolation before retiring to France, where he died in 1828.