Francisco Goya was one of the most popular artists of the 18^th century. Goya is one of the most popular artists of his time because many kings and queens of Europe appreciated his art. Goya was not just any artist, he was a special artist who painted only figures of the people of the world.

Francisco de Paula Jose Goya y Lucientes was born in 1746 in the small town of Fuendetodos, Spain. Fuendetodos was a poor city with a population of a hundred people, and no one but his father was interest in art. As a gilder he decorated objects of gold for local churches and other places in Spain.

As a child in Spain he went to a school ran by priests. At age thirteen, Goya’s family moved to Saragossa located in Northern Spain. There he studied drawing and painting. He applied for The Academy (college) of San Fernando twice, but didn’t get accepted. At age fourteen, Goya’s priest/teacher told him to study his art with Jose Luzian y Martinez. Luzian was a famous artist who lived in Zaragoza. After studying with Jose, Goya learned drawing, engraving, oil painting, and a technique of making paintings on wet-plaster walls. Goya became so incredibly interested in art that he moved to Italy at age twenty four hoping to meet new painters.

Returning to Spain after staying in Italy for a year, Goya stayed in Saragossa where he was awarded with his first mission. It was to paint six paintings for the palace of Sobradiel the Palace of Gabardo the King. At age twenty seven, Francisco married Josefa Bayeu. Goya stayed in Saragossa for the first year he was married when he made a connection family, the Bayeus.

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.

Francisco 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 color. The colors he used included ivory, black, terre verte, 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 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.

In 1792, Francisco discovered a terrible illness. Right before he finished the portrait of Sebastian Martinez, a successful and one of his best works, his illness came back, and soon Francisco became deaf. Still, with his illness, Goya was determined to keep working on 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. Without doing sign language he could not understand anything. At this time Goya was making paintings for King Charles the sixth while at the same time made San Antonio de la Florida in the new church in Madrid. It was now a great chance for Goya to paint freely. His paintings showed a great amount of people, saints, and angels behind a railing praying for freedom. The colors he used were burnt umber, earth green, lead white, black, and more.

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. The colors used in this painting are ivory black, vermilion, light red, lead white, and Prussian blue. The painting had not only his doctor and himself in it; it had his housekeeper and mistress, friends, and attendants who helped him though his life. The painting was a thank you for all the people in his life who he was grateful to.

Goya spent his last years in Spain finishing many portraits such as The Milkmaid of Bordeaux, The Black Paintings, A Deaf Man, and more for King Louis the VIII. Still with his illness at eighty years old, there was no medicine that could cure his illness, and finally Goya died April 15, 1828. We remember Francisco Goya today because of his cartoons and royal paintings.

Bibliography

Schickel, Richard. The World of Goya. Canada: Time Inc. 1969.