Francisco Goya

Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes (30 March 1746 – 16 April 1828) was a Spanish romantic painter and printmaker regarded both as the last of the Old Masters and the first of moderns. This innovative artist had an eye for detail that enabled him to capture emotions in his works such as “The Third Of May” or The Disasters on War; showcasing one’s expressions portrayed through their eyes. His bold handling of paint provided a model for later generations like Francisco Manet, Picasso, Francis Bacon who put together similarly expressive paintings with similar colors which captured various human conditions over time; exploring what it means to be alive at any point in history- not just those before us but also ourselves now living our lives unaware we are being portrayed for all to see. Francisco Goya was a master of the art world, not just because of his abilities but also because he could foresee cultural shifts in our relationships with one another and how we should respond to certain conditions; questioning if it is better to be accepted by all or respected for one’s individuality. Francisco Goya’s distinct style has been categorized into the Spanish romanticism movement which was characterized by its rejection of Neoclassicism; Francisco Goya’s paintings always focused more on what he saw in society rather than trying to imitate past artists or styles that had influenced him such as Francisco José de Goya or Francisco Goya. His artistic approach is said to be rooted in his personal experiences; Francisco Goya was always fascinated by nature and how it has been depicted throughout history in paintings- Francisco Goya is known to have said, “Let Nature be your teacher”. Francisco Goya used the natural landscape as the biggest influence in his romanticist style giving him a unique perspective on certain situations instead of just copying what others had done before him. Francisco Goya did not just paint the paintings he wanted to create but instead focused more on what society as a whole needed most at that specific time or even now to help us question ourselves and where we are headed in regards to certain cultural norms set in place. Francisco Goya was not afraid of depicting sensitive subjects such as social injustice, nudity, sex, violence in his paintings which was uncommon for most of the romanticist painters that came before Francisco Goya; even after Francisco Goya’s style became popular. This is what Francisco Goya is most known for not just expressing our feelings with colors but doing so without holding back to be politically correct or worrying about how others will feel.