Goya (In which I link spam and get excited about art)

I'm sure none of you know this, but I have a minor obsession with Francisco Goya. He's a Spanish painter from the 17-1800s, and is rather famous for his series of black paintings.

If you aren't familiar with his works, check it out here! (If you don't do this, you might be a little confused.)

Now, as my lovely profile box says, I'm a Spanish minor. Now, my school recommends that you study abroad, especially if you have any kind of language concentration.

Now, because I have no actual ability to focus, I have also taken art and psychology classes during my schooling careers.

That right there? EXACTLY why I have been exposed to Goya and his amazing works.

Goya is fascinating- his Black Paintings series can be analyzed in about a thousand different ways (though his dementia is definitely blamed). But the thing is, they've all got this terrific contrast! It's not just dark, bleak, gory, depressing pictures- they've got this brightness that almost implies what he found good about life.

And his paintings of the royal families! They're actually really amusing political commentaries. He didn't bother to idealize this family, even going so far as to subtract from them (mostly what's criticized are the eyes, they're dull and blank).

But my favorite is this one: The Third of May 1808. Because I love symbolism and color and history and this HAS IT ALL!!!

The history of Spain will pretty much make any historian drool because they've been invaded/exploited so often and yet managed to maintain their culture and language through almost all of it (the Romans kind of owned though...).

This particular painting is about the invasion of Napoleon's armies and the massacres that took place. Your eyes are immediately brought to the Spanish man wearing a bright white shirt, arms wide and his face pleading- but none of the soldiers with guns are looking.

Beside him is a pile of bodies of those already executed.

When I went to Spain, I got to see these paintings (and more, but I love him okay?) in person! I was putting my fangirling of other things to shame- which is actually impressive.

Seriously? One of the best things that has ever happened to me.