Francisco de Goya

Coming of the Virgin of the Pillar to Zaragoza (Venida de la Virgen del Pilar a Zaragoza)

Coming of the Virgin of the Pillar to Zaragoza (Venida de la Virgen del Pilar a Zaragoza)
Datos Generales
Cronología
Ca. 1768
Ubicación
Pasqual de Quinto Collection, Zaragoza, Spain
Dimensiones
79 x 55 cm
Técnica y soporte
Oil on canvas
Reconocimiento de la autoría de Goya
Attributed work
Titular
José Pasqual de Quinto y de los Ríos Collection
Ficha: realización/revisión
29 Dec 2009 / 27 Jun 2023
Historia

This painting belonged to the collection of the wealthy banker from Navarre, Juan Martín de Goicoechea y Galarza, friend and patron of a number of artists including Francisco de Goya.

It was inherited by María Pilar Alcíbar-Jáuregui y Lasauca, the second wife of one of the Counts of Sobradiel, appearing in a family inventory from 1867. The work then passed to the widowed Countess of Sobradiel, Ms. Carmen San Gil y Ollo, who sold it to its current owner in 1959.

Análisis artístico

The painting belongs to a pair of devotional pieces together with Triple Generation.

The coming of the virgin has been a recurring theme in painting since the 17th century. This representation has a clear precursor in the earlier painting which decorated the reliquary doors of the parish church of Fuendetodos (Zaragoza), the earliest example of a depiction of this subject by Goya. The composition is structured around the clouds on which the different holy groups are placed. On the highest of these clouds sits the Virgin, who is raising one hand to her breast while the other points to the image of the Virgin of the Pillar which is being carried by some angels. Opposite is another host of angels transporting the sacred column. In the foreground - the earthly plane, nearest the viewer - we find Saint James the Apostle and his disciples. The intense colours of their robes are striking.

The monumentality of the figures in the foreground, the luminous quality of the colours, and the general layout are key features of this work, which brings together the influences of Luzán, Giaquinto, and Bayeu. According to Gudiol, this work and its pair display the beginnings of the concept for the vault of the choir in the Basilica del Pilar, moving away from academism with the use of a less precise design.

We should not forget that these two works formed part of the collection of Goicoechea, along with other works. It has been suggested that the banker was actually the first admirer of Goya's work, as well as the first to collect it. Thanks to the correspondence between Goya and Zapater, we have a record of the friendship which united the businessman and the painter, who sent various signed works to his protector during his first years as a painter.

Exposiciones
  • Exposición de obras de Goya y de objetos que recuerdan las manufacturas artísticas de su época
    Museo de Zaragoza
    Zaragoza
    1928
    organized by la Real Academia de Nobles y Bellas Artes de San Luis in collaboration with the Junta del Patronato del Museo Provincial. April 1928
  • Pabellón de Aragón de la Exposición Universal de Sevilla
    Exposición Universal de Sevilla
    Sevilla
    1992
    consultant editor Federico Torralba Soriano.
  • Realidad e imagen. Goya 1746 – 1828
    Museo de Zaragoza
    Zaragoza
    1996
    consultant editor Federico Torralba Soriano. From October 3th to December 1st 1996
  • La memoria de Goya
    Museo de Zaragoza
    Zaragoza
    2008
    organized by Fundación Goya en Aragón, consultant editor Juan Carlos Lozano López. From February 7th to April 6th 2008
  • Goya y Zaragoza (1746-1775). Sus raíces aragonesas
    Museo Goya. Colección Ibercaja
    Zaragoza
    2015
Bibliografía
  • GASSIER, Pierre y WILSON, Juliet
    Vie et ouvre de Francisco de Goya
    ParísOffice du livre
    1970
    pp. 74, 81, cat. 5
  • GUDIOL RICART, José
    BarcelonaPolígrafa
    1970
    vol. I, p. 235, cat. 5
  • ANGELIS, Rita de
    L’opera pittorica completa di Goya
    MilanRizzoli
    1974
    p. 89, cat. 7
  • CAMÓN AZNAR, José
    Francisco de Goya, 4 vols.
    ZaragozaCaja de Ahorros de Zaragoza, Aragón y Rioja
    1980-1982
    vol. I, p. 42 y p. 210 (il.)
  • TORRALBA SORIANO, Federico (comisario)
    Goya. Pabellón de Aragón. Exposición Universal de 1992
    SevillaPabellón de Aragón 92 S.A
    1992
    pp. 192-199
  • ANSÓN NAVARRO, Arturo
    Goya y Aragón. Familia, amistades y encargos artísticos
    col. Col. Mariano de Pano y Ruata
    ZaragozaCaja de Ahorros de la Inmaculada de Aragón
    1995
    pp. 46-48
  • LOZANO LÓPEZ, Juan Carlos (comisario)
    La memoria de Goya (1828 – 1978)
    ZaragozaGobierno de Aragón, Dpto. de Educación, Cultura y Deporte
    2008
    p. 327, cat. 36
  • MENA MARQUÉS, Manuela B. et al.
    Goya y Zaragoza (1746-1775). Sus raíces aragonesas
    ZaragozaFundación Goya en Aragón, Ibercaja y Gobierno de Aragón
    2015
    pp. 106-107
Ficha en SAAC

Los Sistemas Aumentativos y Alternativos de Comunicación (SAAC) son formas de expresión distintas al lenguaje hablado, que tienen como objetivo aumentar (aumentativos) y/o compensar (alternativos) las dificultades de comunicación y lenguaje de muchas personas con discapacidad. Más info: Arasaac

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