His Most Famous Painting (The Umbrella) – Francisco Goya

Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes of Spain was a very famous painter and engraver of the 18th century. His immense popularity is attributed to his European style of painting, garnering the appreciation of European kings and queens. Goya’s “El Parasol” or “El Quitasol”, painted in 1777, is by far his most successful painting. Most of his paintings focused on women, including this one. Goya created “El Parasol” when the Prince and Princess of Asturias called him to Madrid to paint cartoons for the tapestry in the dining room of the Royal Palace of El Pardo in Madrid. He knitted himself a copy of “The Parasol” in wool to hang in the palace.

Measuring 104cm x 152cm, this oil on linen painting is known for its brilliant color scheme and brilliance. “El Parasol” or “El Quitasol” represents a beautiful young woman sitting on a mound with a folded fan in her right hand. Dressed in the French style of the time, she wears a bright yellow skirt with a blue fur-lined blouse and a dark brown shawl. A red scarf adorns her head. In her lap rests a black and white puppy. Next to her is a young man dressed in the Majo or Maja style. He wears a brown coat with a light red vest. He holds a bright green ‘parasol’ (umbrella) just above the woman’s face. The man’s left arm is bent to rest on his waist. The folded fan, ‘parasol’ and puppy suggest that the woman follows French fashion and belongs to a royal family, creating an air of vanity about her. In the background, the leafy branches of a tall tree, bent in front of the two human figures, represent windy weather. Towards the right side of the maiden is a high stone wall. Therefore, Goya has purposely placed all the bright colors such as green, blue, red and yellow in the center of the image to create a playful effect, exactly fulfilling the wishes of the royal family. The coquettish smile of the protagonist together with her direct gaze adds to the liveliness of the painting and gives it a classic touch.

Francisco’s paintings were always appreciated for their play of light and shadow. His creation of light on canvas was magnificent and this helped to capture a warm and welcoming atmosphere in his paintings. In “El Parasol” or “El Quitasol” he has also used white lead paint to create lines of brightness and shadow. The elegance and beauty of this painting, steeped in ‘classicism’, always made people flock to admire it at the Prado Museum (Museo del Prado) in Madrid, where it is currently on display.

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