Francisco de Goya

Francisco de Goya is regarded as the most important Spanish artist of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century. He began his career as a painter of the Spanish royal court - chronicling the life of elites and designing tapestries for the royal palace. After suffering from a severe illness in 1793 that left him completely deaf, Goya’s work turned increasingly negative and dark - reflecting his bleak outlook on society and politics of the time. In fact, Goya often criticized those in power, mocking their actions in his paintings.