Francisco de Goya y Lucientes has undoubtedly profoundly influenced the techniques, form, and meaning of modern art. From his innovations that revolutionized making etchings to the form and content of his historical and allegorical painting, Goya’s influence on artistic creation is immense. This course will study that influence and examine how Goya’s view of the world and his thought emerged. We will see how his paintings and etchings evolved into a systematic criticism of the antiquated nature of Spain’s institutions and way of life. We will also explore how Napoleon’s invasion of Spain provoked a crisis in Goya’s thinking and painting, and how his growing physical infirmity and conflicts with the state affected his innovative later work, including the enigmatic black paintings. The course will also examine the Goya’s influence on subsequent generations of artists.
