10/5/10

Francisco de Goya, Saturn Devouring His Son (Saturno devorando a un hijo)


Museo del Prado, Madrid

Date: 1820 - 1823
Technique: Mixed technique on wall, 143,5 cm x 81,4 cm

The murals that decorated the house of Goya known as the "Quinta del Sordo" have become popular with the title of Black Paintings for use in them is made of dark and black pigments and also by the gloom of the issues. The private and intimate character of this house, caused the artist to express himself in these works with great freedom. Painted directly on walls, the technique must have been mixed, for chemical analysis revealed the use of oils in its composition.

All paintings were ordered to be transferred to canvas by Baron Emile d'Erlanger, who took the "Quinta del Sordo" in 1873. The work suffered greatly with this move, losing a lot of picture layer in the process. Baron finally donated the paintings to the State, being allocated to the Prado Museum, which displays since 1889.

Saturn, at the time of devouring one of his sons, is one of the most expressive images of the Black Paintings. Occupied the wall opposite the La Leocadia (P754) in the downstairs room of the ''Quinta del Sordo''.

The god of mythology could be the personification of a very human feeling such as fear of losing power.

These works, despite the many explanations given by art historians, remain mysterious and enigmatic, however, many problems have aesthetic and moral concerns that appear in the works of Goya.

The murals of the ''Quinta del Sordo'' (Black Paintings) have been determinative in the assessment of the Aragonese painter in the world today. The artists of German Expressionism and Surrealism, or representatives of other contemporary art movements and the world of literature and even movies have seen in this series of compositions of Goya old, isolated in their world and create with complete freedom The origin of modern art.

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