My Introduction to Goya

When I came across my first Francisco de GOYA (1746-1828) painting , I was aghast and flabbergasted at what I saw.

I silently said to myself, “Why on earth would one want to paint horrid images of demons?”

I immediately decided I was not that fussed on Goya and his artwork images of the history portrayed of his times. This bias of, ‘too quick to judge’ had me fail to view any future work of his until many years later.

My closed mind immediately had thoughts of him partaking in some form of ungodly worship and practice of the wrong kind such as the occult and paganism.

My lack of knowledge and maturity in The Great Artists, their Greater Paintings and my lack of understanding about the artist, the era and the times Goya painted in kept me in ignorance of what the man was trying to say. The seriousness of the situations of the times he was endeavouring to communicate to the public with his gifted creative works.

It also appears that there was a demand for such imagery as stated in Enriqueta Harris’ book titled ‘Goya’ (ISBN 978-0-7148-2975-3). The author states on page 56, that the artist was commissioned for the Alameda of the Duke and Duchess of Osuna to provide six images of witches and devils.

Fortunately my ignorance dissolved on the importance and beauty of this man when I discovered a DVD on the artist.

It was on viewing the DVD ‘Goya’s Ghost’ by producer Saul Zaentz that I came to understand that Goya was painting and sketching scenes as an eyewitness of events that were taking place before his very eyes as history played out.

In this screenplay adaptation of his life, the storyline revisits some of the events of the Spanish Inquisition. Revealing some of the horrors this wicked and injudicious judiciary system inflicted on the people at the time. The lies: the set-ups: the torture: the malpractice and wrongful imprisonment. The total removal of all human dignity to the many who were wrongly accused.

I have come to acknowledge that when one becomes aware of the unseen world that moves around us one can note that all movies advise some truths of the happenings in this world.

Goya was commissioned by many aristocratic families during his lifetime to paint portraits of the family and individual members. This was not his only standing in the community.

One such contract was for Goya to paint the daughter of a wealthy merchant. During the time spent in the commissioning of painting the image of this young woman, a fondness grew and she became his muse.

The scene in this screenplay reveals a moment where one evening the young lady was at a local tavern escorted by her brothers. As typical as most aggressive, innately cruel and offensive ways portrayed of this regime, the Spanish Inquisition police guards gave false evidence about this innocent beautiful young adolescent. She was summoned to speak on the accusations thrown at her. What followed is horrendous.

These acts remove all human dignities and rights. It gives over to the possible hidden agendas of such inquisitors and the possible true motives of what these dictators were up to.

As one studies the significant of what Goya’s portrayals of the time, one can see a theme travailing through much of his artwork.

‘Disasters of War’ and ‘The Caprices’, a series of eighty prints are a good storyline of theses times. It is here I will attempt to hopefully open your understanding of what Goya was attempting to inform the community of his knowledge and witnessing. I shall endeavour to interpret the images with similarities from my own first hand experiences as to what I have been witnessing in the community for far too long. This may be difficult for many a reader and viewer to believe.

Many forget we live in a spiritual unseen world as well as a seen one. We are Body, Soul and Spirit. God has equipped many with spiritual gifts that lay dormant within because they fail to seek and understand God’s ways in protection of the Soul and those they love.

Goya was obviously by the portrayal of the times, being sanctified by the Holy Spirit and could see the Truths of the wolves’ actions in the church and their actions of harm and annihilation.

Yes, some of the sketches are satirical in the character drawings. For example, Thou who canst not – plate 42 Los Caprichos (The Caprices) portraying the image of a donkey’s being carried on men’s back.

In other sketches it appears Goya was attempting to reveal deeper spiritual truths of the day that were happening then and are still happening today in the twentieth century.

I am guessing this will continue to happen right up till judgment day at the return of Jesus Christ.

For it is written:

He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. -Revelations 22:11 (KJV)

And again spoken of in the last chapter of the Book of Daniel; discussing the End Times:

Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand:

– Daniel12:10 (KJV)

One can consider Blow – plate 69 Los Caprichos (The Caprices) portraying the image of a child having the flatulence squeezed out of them with the action of one manipulating a bellows, the old age device that emits air to help flame a fire.

This image portrayal may be viewed in my eyes from two spiritual angle approaches. This will be covered in the webpage attached to this site assigned for Blow – plate 69 Los Caprichos (The Caprices).

This brings me to the conscience that if those in the world who continue to practice these actions do not change their ways, then those who wreak havoc on the innocents will bring about the end of this world much sooner then later.