Friar Pedro Shoots El Maragato
In this 1806 painting by Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes’s, we see a realistic depiction of a narrative in progress. Painted with oil on panel, de Goya constructs a visual retelling of events reminiscent of literary illustration. Frequently focusing on the human experience, this work by de Goya both dramatizes and accurately depicts a moment in time. In Friar Pedro Shoots El Maragato as His Horse Runs Off, Francisco de Goya uses fluid brush strokes, leading lines and warm hues to capture the movement and theatrical tone of the narrative. Through compositional technique and directional lines, de Goya creates a conflicting visual momentum. Presented in a horizontal format, the viewer is primarily introduced to a linear direction that moves
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While the majority of the canvas maintains a consistent density in it’s brush strokes, the subtle discrepancies in opacity help the viewer determine perspective. In the foreground, the monk is shadowed with deep blacks to create a focal point. As the weight of the shadow dissipates to the right, the illusion of space is created in the direction of the second figure. If it were not for the shadowing, the monk and the right figure would appear to sit on the same plane, but the attention to detail in the light’s displacement allows the viewer to get a sense of dimensionality. The density of the monk’s shadow in comparison to the other figure also tells the viewer that the monk is the primary focus of the scene. The opacity of the background, i.e, the horse and the skyline, are painted with much less intensity than the foreground. The interior lines of each figure are sharp and defined, while the outer lines blend with their surroundings. This technique creates fluidity and provides the illusion of movement. The gun blast is illustrated with bright reds and yellows, and gets more opaque as you follow the direction of the gun. Along with the guiding line created by the barrel, the abrupt change in value tells the viewer that these tones are in rapid motion. Coupled with directional lines, de Goya’s brushwork further emphasizes the narrative in
While the majority of the canvas maintains a consistent density in it’s brush strokes, the subtle discrepancies in opacity help the viewer determine perspective. In the foreground, the monk is shadowed with deep blacks to create a focal point. As the weight of the shadow dissipates to the right, the illusion of space is created in the direction of the second figure. If it were not for the shadowing, the monk and the right figure would appear to sit on the same plane, but the attention to detail in the light’s displacement allows the viewer to get a sense of dimensionality. The density of the monk’s shadow in comparison to the other figure also tells the viewer that the monk is the primary focus of the scene. The opacity of the background, i.e, the horse and the skyline, are painted with much less intensity than the foreground. The interior lines of each figure are sharp and defined, while the outer lines blend with their surroundings. This technique creates fluidity and provides the illusion of movement. The gun blast is illustrated with bright reds and yellows, and gets more opaque as you follow the direction of the gun. Along with the guiding line created by the barrel, the abrupt change in value tells the viewer that these tones are in rapid motion. Coupled with directional lines, de Goya’s brushwork further emphasizes the narrative in