Spanish Artists

Francisco Goya's career as an artist began after the late Baroque period. Goya, whose full name is actually Francisco Jose de Goya y Lucientes, was one of Spain 's most eminent artists and regarded as the "Father of Modern Art". Painting his whole life, well into his later years, Goya left an interesting collection of art behind, with reflected his outlook on life as time passed. Bright and hopeful during his youth, his art changed as he approached middle age and then old age, ending up embittered and disappointed in society and people in general.

Goya was born in Zaragoza in Spain where he was apprentice in his early teens to a small-time artist José Luzán and later to painter Francisco Bayeu. He married Bayeu's sister. At 17 he went to Madrid where he participated in a competition at the Royal Academy of San Fernando but which bore no fruits and later at age 24 moved to Italy, Rome, where he made a living by selling his art work.

Later returning to Spain, he painted many frescoes for local cathedrals, produced designs for the royal tapestry factory and painted portraits of the Spanish aristocracy. He was also appointed Spanish court painter, especially serving the King. Goya's style changed after a serious deprived him permanently of his hearing and very late in life, in 1824, Goya left his birth country in voluntary exile for Bordeaux in France, where he spent his remaining years.