Francisco Goya Painting by Paul Meijering

About "Francisco Goya Painting"

by Paul Meijering

About the artwork

Realistic acrylic painting of Francisco Goya featuring his painting of a desperate man with too many fingers, painted by the Dutch fine artist Paul Meijering - the Original painting ia 120 x 90 cm.

Francisco José De Goya y Lucientes (Fuendetodos, 30 March 1746 - Bordeaux, 16 April 1828) was a Spanish painter and engraver.

Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes is one of Spain's best-known artists, mainly because of his flamboyant painting style and his idiosyncratic choice of subjects, and has been called 'the last of the old and the first of the modern masters'. He became an important forerunner of modern art. His expressive style is a model for impressionist painters of the 19th century, such as Édouard Manet, and his dreamlike fantasy images greatly appeal to surrealist artists like Salvador Dalī.
During his lifetime, Goya is already loved by Spain's wealthy citizens and nobles, whom he portrays colourfully and stately. Through his teacher Francisco Bayeu, Goya even worked his way up to become the king's court painter in 1786. His royal portraits show the influence of great masters of Spanish 17th-century painting, notably Diego Velázquez. In contrast, Goya's work on his own account is often stark and highly personal. With superstitious people, witches and monsters depicted, Goya criticises the church and his ignorant fellow man, while at the same time depicting his own imagination. With a sometimes intensely dark palette, Goya further emphasises the drama and emotion.

Goya's life, like his work, has light and dark sides. After a severe illness in 1792, Goya became completely deaf and continued to suffer from symptoms of illness for the rest of his life. He also loses all but the youngest of his children. At the end of his life, Goya moves to Bordeaux, France, and despite dark periods in his life, can look back on a brilliant painting career.