Finding Meaning

I absolutely love this painting, "Man Eating Soup" by Francisco Jose de Goya y Lucientes. I was fortunate enough to see the painting in person, where it is displayed in the Prado Museum, Spain.

Goya began his artistic carreer under the eyes of an apprentice, where he learned to draw and print copies of famous masters works. He made a name for himself as a painter of the courts in Spain, however his most influential artwork (like the above) were done apart from his official duties. In the late 1700's, Goya began to paint cartoons for the royal tapestry factory in Madrid, and while doing so, he learned how important observation of human behavior could be. He began to paint scenes from everyday life, with a loose, spontaneous painting technique. Goya was extremely successful in his field, even being named painter to the king in 1786. However, Goya was struck with illness, leaving him permanently deaf. This isolation from the rest of the world drove him mad, and he became occupied with fantasy, and satirical observation. Goya used his imagination to create etchings and exaggerated drawings of war, and spanish culture like bullfighting. It is very inspiring to see some of his work in its purest form with simple pen and ink drawings of figures and animals. You can still see the fluidity of form and line that he has in the above painting... As the years followed, and Goya put himself into exile, and ultimitely pure isolation he created some of his darkest visions. These are my personal favorites, because they express Goya's haunting imagination with such painterly techniques. He was able to create such bold shapes, forms, and light, almost like his senses were heightened by the loss of hearing.

So, I tried to take the idea of having a creepy scene/character and draw it with loose, sketchy lines like Goya paints (loose, painterly style) and also how he drew the old man on the swing.