13 Fascinating Fun Facts About Francisco Goya: Discover the Genius Behind the Iconic Masterpieces!

1. Goya's Got Talent: Invite-Only Art Critiques

In a twisted game of "Goya's Got Talent", Francisco Goya decided to be the Simon Cowell of the art world, critiquing humanity's dark side with terrifying brushstrokes while keeping the exhibition strictly invite-only: The "Black Paintings" are a series of 14 disturbing images that Goya painted directly onto the walls of his own home, the Quinta del Sordo, which were later brutally removed and transferred to canvas by Baron Frédéric Émile d'Erlanger, ensuring their current residence in the Museo del Prado, Madrid - forever standing as Goya's private critique on the world's unseen atrocities.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

2. Overcoming Illness to Elevate Artistry

Against all odds and in a harmonious display of "I can't hear you, but I can paint circles around you": Francisco Goya, after falling severely ill at the age of 46 and losing his hearing, vision, and even experiencing paralysis, managed to not only continue his artistry but also elevate it to astonishing new heights, ultimately producing some of his most iconic and powerful works.
Source => pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

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3. Spanish Banksy's Poe-esque "Black Paintings"

Before Goya went full-on emo: Francisco Goya was "paint" up a storm, creating his own macabre mural masterpieces on the walls of his gloomy abode, like a Spanish Banksy channeling Edgar Allan Poe vibes. The serious reveal: His "Black Paintings" were intimate reflections of his fear and despair, never meant to be displayed publicly, but eventually snatched from his walls, slapped onto canvas, and given permanent residency at Madrid's Museo del Prado.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

4. Goya's Dabble in Witchy Paintings

In a spooktacular case of art imitating life, Francisco Goya dabbled in witchcraft - well, sort of: He painted the eerie, moonlit masterpiece "Witches' Sabbath," which was subsequently purchased by the Duke and Duchess of Osuna in 1798, and now resides with fellow witchy art at the Museo Lázaro Galdiano in Madrid, featuring a fiendish gathering of witches worshipping Baphomet.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

5. Goya's Memes: 18th-century Internet Sensation

If Picasso had Snapchat and Goya got to illustrate memes, we would have had the 18th-century Spanish Internet break: Los Caprichos by Francisco Goya — eighty engravings that combined satire with art, poking fun at the eccentricities of society. Alas, Goya's brush with humor was short-lived: after a mysterious illness rendered him deaf, his artworks became the canvas for his ensuing melancholic and frustrated self.
Source => gla.ac.uk

6. Haunted Quinta del Sordo? Nah, Just Deafness

House of the Deaf rave: It turns out that Francisco Goya's famously eerie "Quinta del Sordo", where he created his spine-chilling "Black Paintings", was named for the previous owner's inability to hear the party rocking, rather than any hair-raising ambiance: Deafness was the initial impetus, and not spectral inspiration, for the mansion's title.
Source => openculture.com

7. Gossip Vs. Truth: Goya's Love Life

Though the whispers of gossip-mongers might peg Francisco Goya as the "Pablo Picasso of Hearts" gallivanting through Spanish high society, they might fumble when faced with his guarded truth: In reality, the iconic painter's romantic life was far less glamorous, with no concrete evidence of him being a Spanish Casanova, and a shotgun marriage to Josefa that persisted till her death.
Source => arthive.com

8. Aun Aprendo: Goya's Old Dog Learns New Tricks

You know what they say, "you can't teach an old dog new tricks," but Francisco Goya begged to differ: One of his renowned paintings, "Aun Aprendo" (I am still learning), showcases an elderly man moving from darkness to light with the assistance of two canes, representing Goya's dedication to learning and self-improvement despite the challenges of aging.
Source => kellylowenstein.wordpress.com

9. Goya's Portraits: Capturing All of Society

When Francisco Goya wasn't busy being the Banksy of his era with his deeply political renderings, he took up his brushes to give everyone from the royals to the commoners their rightful place in the halls of artistic fame: Goya was an avid and accomplished portrait painter, capturing notable figures such as royalty, statesmen, and fellow artists with masterful strokes and subtle details.
Source => smarthistory.org

10. Los Desastres de la Guerra: Goya's Secret Protest

Goya's brush had more opinions than your Aunt at Thanksgiving dinner: The renowned court painter Francisco Goya secretly created his Los Desastres de la Guerra print series, as a subtle artistic protest against the French conquest, showcasing the harrowing consequences of the wars and the raw suffering of the Spanish people despite his day job painting regal faces.
Source => study.com

11. Hide-and-Seek Champion: Reclusive Goya Retreats

Who said Goya was all serious Francisco? This artist's silent retreat made him the ultimate hide-and-seek champion: The master painter, Francisco Goya, secluded himself from society in his later years due to his growing deafness, encroaching old age, and the tumultuous political scene in Spain, opting to hang up his beret in Bordeaux instead.
Source => christies.com

12. Golden Silence: Goya's Artistic Triumph Over Deafness

Who said silence isn't golden? Francisco Goya turned his deafening disadvantage into artistic genius: Despite being struck deaf at the age of 46 due to a mysterious illness with symptoms such as headaches, tinnitus, and visual disturbances, Goya continued to create influential artwork until his death at 82.
Source => pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

13. War? Bullfighting Art to the Rescue!

As Francisco Goya might have said in another life, "When life throws you a Peninsular War, make a Tauromaquia series!": During Spain's social and political unrest, Goya crafted a set of prints celebrating the history and culture of bullfighting, reviving national spirit, and showcasing his artistic brilliance amidst the turbulence.
Source => polkmuseumofart.org