Francisco Goya

Widely considered the greatest Spanish artist of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, romantic painter and printmaker Francisco Goya (1746–1828) is known for his paintings, drawings, and engravings, which reflected contemporary historical events, and had a significant impact on important artists throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. One of the most prolific artists, he produced a huge amount of work over a period of more than 60 years, covering a wide variety of themes and techniques, and exhibiting a clear eclecticism. Despite the intensity with which the artist produced his paintings, etchings, drawings, and lithographs, it appears that his ambitions were never fully fulfilled. Francisco Goya is considered the last of the old masters and the pioneer of the modern eras because of his artistic evolutions, philosophies, and dark paintings. His thick brushstrokes, high-contrast color palettes combined with dark, psychological themes enabled Goya to bridge the gap between the Old Masters and the modernists. Explore Francisco Goya's Paintings for Sale and discover upcoming online auctions featuring his works at Bidsquare.

From the Baroque to Romantic movements, Goya is considered the first of the Great Masters. He embodies the essence of Romanticism through his prints and later paintings, the most pronounced of which is the emphasis on subjectivity, imagination, and emotion. Goya's work also reflects his keen awareness of the world around him, including the tumultuous events of his time, from the Spanish Enlightenment to the suppressions of the Inquisition to the horrors and disastrous consequences of the war after Napoleon's invasion.

A major influence of Goya's work lies in Surrealism, with artists using Francisco Goya’s Black Paintings and etchings as a source of inspiration for their dark and dreamlike subjects. As the artist's long career progressed, his paintings, drawings, etchings, and frescos shifted from jolly and lighthearted to deeply pessimistic and searching. Two distinct periods are apparent in Goya's work: the first, during which the artist was demonstrating his value through tapestries and portraits; a second period, devoted to expressive liberty, with a wide range of works from Caprichos to Majas, Disasters of War, to Black Paintings and Bullfights.

The Naked Maja, The Family of Charles IV, and The Clothed Maja were among his masterpieces in painting, as were The 3rd of May 1808 in Madrid, Saturn Eating His Children, and "The Executions of the Defenders of Madrid". In The Disasters of War, the Napoleonic invasion is recorded through etchings.

Many of Goya's works have sold for millions of dollars on secondary markets. A number of institutions own Goya's paintings, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museo del Prado, the British Museum, and the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. They have sold for millions on the secondary market.

Interesting Facts about Francisco Goya

• Unlike royal portraits, Goya's works include symbolism.
• He lived most of his life deaf.