Francisco de Goya

Datos Generales
Cronología
1801 - 1805
Ubicación
The Prado National Museum. Madrid, Madrid, Spain
Dimensiones
Diámetro 227 cm
Técnica y soporte
Tempera on canvas
Reconocimiento de la autoría de Goya
Undisputed work
Titular
El Prado National Museum
Ficha: realización/revisión
17 Feb 2010 / 13 Jun 2023
Inventario
(P02548)
Historia

See Agriculture.

Análisis artístico

Goya chose to represent a realistic scene for the allegory of Industry. Two women are working in a factory which could be the tapestry factory of Santa Bárbara, since they are shown working with looms, and it was a place which Goya doubtless knew very well. The main figure in the scene is notable for her melancholy expression and distant gaze, while her companion is looking at her, wondering what she is thinking about. Goya painted a window behind them, but the light which hits the figures is made to look as if it comes from the real skylight located high up in the vault of the hallway of Godoy's palace. The light, which is cold and grey, creates a rather dark and sad atmosphere in which the yellow and green of the main weaver's dress stand out as the most intense colours in this palette.

Opposite the window there is a group of women who are executed in almost grisaille tones, probably in order to give them an otherworldly feel. They are looking at the sad girl. According to Manuela Mena, these could be the Fates; weavers of the thread of life, they are the rulers of human destiny - in this case, the destiny of this girl. This work has with reason been linked to the The Spinners by Velázquez, since as well as representing women weaving, it also has a mythological element. It is inevitable that we should assume that Goya got the idea for representing mythological subjects in everyday scenes from works such as The Spinners, or The Drunkards (by the same artist: both paintings are housed in the Prado Museum, Madrid).

A more earthly interpretation has been made of this painting to do with prostitution: it is a well-known fact that many prostitutes learned the trade of spinning thanks to the support of some enlightened politicians who promoted the training of these women. The mood of the workers we see here, as well as their profession, fits in with this idea. It would not be the only time that Goya dealt with this subject (see drawing no. 84 from Album B, San Fernando, How they Spin!).

For more information on the whole series, see Agriculture.

Exposiciones
  • Goya
    Palacio de Pedralbes
    Barcelona
    1977
    from April 12th to June 30th 1977
  • Goya. 250 Aniversario
    Museo Nacional del Prado
    Madrid
    1996
    consultant editor Juan J. Luna. From March 29th to June 2nd 1996
  • Goya. La imagen de la mujer
    Museo Nacional del Prado
    Madrid
    2001
    from October 30th 2001 to February 10th 2002. Exhibitied also at the National Gallery of Art, Washington, March 10th to June 2nd 2002, consultant editor Francisco Calvo Serraller
Bibliografía
  • DESPARMET FITZ - GERALD, Xavier
    L'œuvre peint de Goya. 4 vols
    París
    1928-1950
    vol. I, p. 136, cat. 93
  • SÁNCHEZ CANTÓN. Francisco Javier
    La elaboración de un cuadro de Goya
    Archivo Español de Arte
    Madrid
    1945
    pp. 301-307
  • SORIA, Martín S.
    Goya's allegories of fact and fiction
    The Burlington Magazine
    London
    1948
    pp. 196-200
  • NORDSTRÖM, Folke
    Goya, Saturno y melancolía. Consideraciones sobre el arte de Goya
    StockholmAlquimis & Wiksell
    1962
    p. 119
  • GASSIER, Pierre y WILSON, Juliet
    Vie et ouvre de Francisco de Goya
    ParísOffice du livre
    1970
    pp. 165, 190, cat. 691
  • GUDIOL RICART, José
    BarcelonaPolígrafa
    1970
    vol. I, p. 323, cat. 479
  • ANGELIS, Rita de
    L’opera pittorica completa di Goya
    MilanRizzoli
    1974
    p. 110, cat. 330
  • ROSE-DE VIEJO, Isadora
    Goya’s Allegories and the Sphinxes: Comerce, Agriculture, Industry and Science in situ
    The Burlington Magazine
    London
    1984
    pp. 34-39
  • CAMÓN AZNAR, José
    Francisco de Goya, 4 vols.
    ZaragozaCaja de Ahorros de Zaragoza, Aragón y Rioja
    1980-1982
    vol. III, p. 48 (il.)
  • LUNA, Juan J. (Comisario)
    Goya. 250 Aniversario
    MadridMuseo del Prado
    1996
    p. 389, cat. 118 y p. 213 (il.)
  • CALVO SERRALLER, Francisco (comisario)
    Goya, la imagen de la mujer
    MadridMuseo Nacional del Prado y Fundación Amigos del Museo del Prado
    2001
    pp. 224, 334, cat. 52 y p. 225 (il.)
Enlaces externos
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