Goya Flashcards
Goya
Working within and outside of the power structure. Darling of the masses- portraits. Served under Charles III and Charles IV.
Majas and Majos
Popular subject of Goya. Member of the lower class, uneducated, poorer, tied to folkloric tradition (wore traditional Spanish folkloric clothing). Upper class started dressing up like them (e.g. Heroin Chic?). Undertone of sexuality- characterized as highly sexual, party girls. Majo- dandy, professional escort.
Clothed and Naked Maja
End of 18th C. Goya commissioned by Godoy to paint Nude Maja 1795-1797. Godoy had a private collection of nude paintings- Spanish artists didn’t commonly paint nudes. Commissioned Clothed Maja 1803-05- meant to be seen in succession. While doing elite/royal paintings, he still paid attention to ‘rejects’ of society. “The Giant”, “The Dwarf.
Juan Miranda, Eugenia the Freak
Another artist doing similar work, he portrayed human oddities.
Goya, Nude Maja, 1795-97
Considered by art historians to be the first life-size completely nude profane painting. Mythological women don’t count- they’re not real.
Giorgione, Sleeping Venus 1510
Sleeping woman- found erotic
Carlos (Charles III) didn’t approve of nudity in art.
Wanted all nude paintings in Royal Collection gathered and burned. Goya painted an unflattering portrait of him. Charles III never gets around to burning the work.
Carracci, Venus and Adonis
too much nudity!
Charles IV
Also demands the burning of nudes. The collection was taken to Royal Academy of Art. It was decided that educated artists could see this works and understand them- they weren’t for the masses.
Godoy’s Collection: Venuses
Titian
Velazquez- Rokeby Venus, 1647. Venus with organist and cupid
Venus is allowed to be nude- mythological.
Godoy was the prime minister- the worker bee, not the ruler. This position gave him leniency to have these paintings.
What was Godoy’s motivation for his collection?
It narrowly focused on the female nude. Spain at the time was divided- Church vs. Educated Elite. Church: old ways mentality, witchcraft, sorcery, superstition.
Godoy falls out of power. Spain and France go to war. Concessions were made to Napoleon. His nude paintings were removed as part of the Inquisition. They were sequestered away from the Royal Academy. Nude paintings were seen as a form of treason- Maja/the female nude was seen as evil and committing evil was a crime against the state.
Art Historians speculate that Goya as uncomfortable painting Nude and Clothed Maja
Clothed Maja looks more sexual- curvier, emphasized waist- exaggerated curviness. Pubic area draws attention more so than Nude Maja. Model was a Maja. She meets the viewer’s gaze- this is atypical, nude female usually looks away.
Goya was brought in front of the Inquisition and blamed Godoy for these paintings
Disasters of War
Series of prints related to brutality of war.
An Heroic Feat! With Dead Men
And There’s No Help for It
Barbaros
Do They Belong to Another Race (surely they’re not humans, emaciated)
They Don’t Like It (war related rape portrayed)
Truth is Dead
He’s seeing how atrocious life is for poor and powerless people- “outside the castle walls”
Los Caprichos
As Far Back as His Grandfather- donkey portrait Blow Pretty Teacher (criticized education system) The Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters- Goya is main figure, Spain can't continue with superstition, etc. Until Death Do Us Part- arranged marriages in Spain at the time Swallow It Dog- Monk with syringe is sticking it to a poor person. Clergy is in power- they could help people but they don't.
Veronese, function of art.
“The function of art is to criticize society.”
