Francisco Goya Gallery
Painted between c. 1815 and 1820.
Oil on canvas 71 1/2 x 49 1/4 in. (181.6 x 125.1 cm.)
Acquired in 1914 The Frick Collection.
The composition of this great canvas derives from traditional depictions of the forge of Vulcan, the metalworker of the Olympian gods. Goya translates that mythological theme into contemporary language, using sturdy laborers in working clothes as a subject suitable for dignified, monumental treatment. The rough, vigorous application of paint and the somber coloring heighten the power and intensity of the figures and their actions.
viewer |
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| 3rd of MAY 1808 |
| Marquesa de Santiago |
| Bullfight |
| Reclining Nude |
| SATURN DEVOURING HIS SON |
| WINE HARVEST |
FORGE |
Biography
Bulletin Board
Renowned Art
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By the 1780s Goya was Spain's leading painter, specializing in religious pictures and portraits. He left a ruthlessly penetrating record of his patrons and private expressions of introspection, moral objectivity, and caustic commentary on his times. A 1792 illness left Goya deaf and mentally broken. He turned inward and began painting dark, disturbing, private works. His etchings expressed his distaste for the corrupt, fanatical establishment, particularly the Church, for whom he worked. During the Napoleonic wars, Goya recorded his reactions to the occupying French army’s atrocities. By 1814, the repressive Spanish monarchy was restored and Goya resumed painting the royals, whom he portrayed with at times unflattering frankness.
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