a visual reflection on the condition of mankind

Of all of Goya's works these paintings are perhaps the closest to our own sensibility, not only because of the subjects represented or because of their dark, sinister and overwhelming atmosphere, but also because of their strong visual impact and the expressiveness and direct reference to our emotions which one finds throughout. Goya received no commission and neither was he under any obligation to make these paintings. They were done for himself, as a visual reflection on the condition of mankind and the world. Their influence on Expresionism and Surrealism was to be quite strong. Goya's vision of the absurd, of violence and irrationality has become a dominating influence in modern culture.


Goya: Black Paintings by Valeriano Bozal. Friends of the Prado Museum. 2007.