Francisco de Goya

Datos Generales
Cronología
1779 - 1780
Ubicación
The Prado National Museum. Madrid, Madrid, Spain
Dimensiones
262 x 40 cm
Técnica y soporte
Oil on canvas
Reconocimiento de la autoría de Goya
Documented work
Titular
El Prado National Museum
Ficha: realización/revisión
30 Nov 2009 / 14 Jun 2023
Inventario
(P00789)
Historia

See The Blind Guitarist.

This cartoon was delivered to the Royal Tapestry Factory on 24 January 1780, along with ten other cartoons, completing the decoration of the antechamber to the bedroom. These eleven tapestry cartoons - almost certain to have been made between 21 July 1779, when the artist delivered A Stickball Game and The Swing, and this delivery in January 1780 - were executed very rapidly. It is very likely that Goya was aware of the planned suspension of manufacturing work at the factory and was anxious to finish his commissions and receive his wages.

Around 1856 or 1857, the cartoon was moved from the Royal Tapestry Factory of Santa Bárbara to the Royal Palace in Madrid. In 1870, it was taken to the Prado Museum under orders given on 18 January and 9 February.

Análisis artístico

This narrow corner-piece decorated the north wall of the bedroom antechamber, where it formed a pair with another corner-piece, Boy with a Bird.

At the foot of the tree, the element that marks the vertical axis of the composition and which fills almost its entire height, we see the boy reaching up to grasp one of the branches, albeit with a somewhat less than convincing leap. Behind him we see another boy, waiting with a basket.

If we follow Tomlinson's theory, the boy is attempting to steal the eggs from a nest that would be on a branch of the tree that is not visible from the viewer's standpoint. And, as she reminds us, the egg is the symbol of female virtue, thereby placing this work in context with the rest of the tapestries decorating the north wall.

Nordström, on the other hand, believes that this piece, its companion corner-piece, The Washerwomen, and The Woodcutters are all related to springtime and impulsiveness.

Exposiciones
  • Goya. 250 Aniversario
    Museo Nacional del Prado
    Madrid
    1996
    consultant editor Juan J. Luna. From March 29th to June 2nd 1996
  • Goya en Madrid. Cartones para tapices 1775-1794
    Museo Nacional del Prado
    Madrid
    2014
Bibliografía
  • DESPARMET FITZ - GERALD, Xavier
    L'œuvre peint de Goya. 4 vols
    París
    1928-1950
    vol. I, p. 84, cat. 25
  • SAMBRICIO, Valentín de
    Tapices de Goya
    MadridPatrimonio Nacional
    1946
    p. 240, cat. 35 y lám. 131
  • GASSIER, Pierre y WILSON, Juliet
    Vie et ouvre de Francisco de Goya
    ParísOffice du livre
    1970
    pp. 76, 89, cat. 138
  • GUDIOL RICART, José
    BarcelonaPolígrafa
    1970
    vol. I, p. 248, cat. 89
  • ANGELIS, Rita de
    L’opera pittorica completa di Goya
    MilanRizzoli
    1974
    pp. 95-96, cat. 96
  • CAMÓN AZNAR, José
    Francisco de Goya, 4 vols.
    ZaragozaCaja de Ahorros de Zaragoza, Aragón y Rioja
    1980-1982
    vol. I, p. 114
  • ARNAIZ, José Manuel
    Francisco de Goya, cartones y tapices
    col. col. "Espasa Arte"
    Espasa Calpe
    1987
    pp. 108, 280, cat. 39C
  • TOMLINSON, Janis A.
    Francisco de Goya. Los cartones para tapices y los comienzos de su carrera en la corte de Madrid
    col. col. "Ensayos de Arte Cátedra"
    MadridCátedra
    1987
    pp. 147 y p. 148 (il.)
  • LUNA, Juan J. (Comisario)
    Goya. 250 Aniversario
    MadridMuseo del Prado
    1996
    pp. 309-310, cat. 29 y p. 105 (il.)
  • SANCHO, José Luis
    Salas del Palacio Real de El Pardo para las que se tejieron tapices sobre cartones de Francisco de Goya: identificación de las habitaciones y ajuste de las obras de Goya en los alzados de las paredes
    in HERRERO CARRETERO, Concha (curator, Tapices y cartones de Goya (catalogue of the exhibition organizated at the Palacio Real de Madrid, from may to june 1996)
    MadridPatrimonio Nacional, Goya 96, Lunwerg
    1996
    p. 169 (il.)
  • MENA MARQUÉS, Manuela B. y MAURER, Gudrun (comisarias)
    Goya en Madrid. Cartones para tapices 1775-1794
    MadridMuseo Nacional del Prado
    2014
    p. 210
Enlaces externos
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