FIRST:
May 3 Execution of the Rebels
http://www.globalgallery.com/enlarge/028…
On a personal level this painting has a special significance.
I was working as an art teacher in a school system that got a new and corrupt superintendent who went about trying to get rid of competent teachers who were loyal to the previous superintendent. He announced his firings in early May. This painting was used on posters that gathered support for the teachers titled "THE MAY 3 EXECUTION OF THE INNOCENTS"
The School Board got rid of the Superintendent. This powerful image had a lot to do with that decision.
I think that is his most famous painting, but I wouldn't argue if someone posted either of the next two:
SECOND:
The Naked Maja
http://www.spanisharts.com/prado/goya.ht…
THIRD;
The Family Portraits of King Charles IV
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Franci…
My high school art appreciation teacher told the story about how the artist was commissioned to do a painting of the King (whose recent policies he hated), so he decided to made the family members look really ugly and retarded, but since everyone said that Goya was the greatest artist around the King said nothing. It is like the emperors new cloths story.
Here are a couple of sites that back up that story:
http://www.nytimes.com/1988/10/25/arts/r…
http://www.jstor.org/pss/1483673
Other theories are that the family really was this grotesque looking because of inbreeding among the royal family. The first story is more fun.
Also interesting, I remember that Goya put himself in the picture. He is standing at his easel. You can see him on the far left side behind the man in blue and the boy in red in this photo of the painting.
http://eeweems.com/goya/family_charles_i…
