Goya

Hughes often has more to say about Spanish history than Goya’s work. Often felt he was writing more of a tour guide than a deep appreciation of one of Spain’s foremost painters. Goya is a legend yet Hughes never manages to communicate why.Did Hughes really have so little to say about the Black Paintings? Does he really not understand why so many 20th century giants spent hours in front of them (Miro being a particular example)? Great painters are known for their great works yet this book has no focus devoting as much time to minor bullfighting pictures at the end of Goya’s life as to his greatest artistic achievements.

Honestly, totally amazing biography of Spanish painter Francisco de Goya y Lucientes. I was looking for a good one and found this one. It sounded good, so VERY RELUCTANTLY and skeptically I purchased it. Mr. Hugues did a fantastic job putting this book together to tell us about Spain's most famous painter. I was raised in Spain and I am familiar with its people, its customs, different places, etcetera. In addition, having lived there many years, I was privileged to go to the Prado museum several times and had viewed all his work housed at The Prado. The reason I reluctantly acquired this particular book of Mr. Hughes and why I was so skeptical to purchase was because he's Australian. My own reasoning went something like this: Come on, an Australian is going to tell me about the life and times of Goya? You've got to be kidding! I mean, I was expecting to get some IMPORTANT Spanish writer to tell me about him; not some foreigner. I was also expecting to read Goya's biography in Spanish,although my knowledge of both, English and Spanish is equally good. But, oh, what the heck, I went ahead and purchase the book and started reading it and soon I was completely mesmerized and amazed at the work of Mr. Hughes. I am not sure how to praise him enough for this incredible biography. It is extremely well researched and he seems to have a vast and wide knowledge of the life and times of Goya; life in Spain, well known places and the culture of its people. Most importantly, I feel that Mr. Hughes has captured the essence of who Goya was, how he felt, and how he was treated in Spain, in spite of the fact that Goya was the best painter in the land. I was overjoyed to read the well-researched descriptions and interpretations of Goya's works. This is the way to view a painter's artistic realizations. I knew I liked the Caprichos and the Disasters of War; buy truly, unless you're an art historian or expert, you often can't understand or interpret his images. (If someone could just do that with Baudelaire's Fleurs du Mal) and trying to get into the heads of geniuses to figure out what they meant to convey, it's often a very tall order. It was very helpful to me to understand who he was or might be depicting on an image and what he meant by it. This is a very long biography, probably because it includes so many images of the painter's works, but, by all means, not the first one I read that's so long. I purchased "The First Tycoon" (the biography of Cornelius VanderBuilt) and though my death would come before I ever finished reading that book, although I must say it was excellent as well. I loved Mr. Hughes book so much, I even purchased a second copy to gift to a friend, letting him know that this was going to be a total surprise and that he would never read a better bio of Goya, or would want to. I have given it five stars because it deserves it. A tremendous book in its content, including all the history and the works and life of the artist. My sincere congratulations to Mr.Hughes. It's gripping, exciting, extremely well written and I loved every minute of it.

A lovely biography of a great artist marred slightly by the author's tendency to speculate and insert his own opinions on the subject. Given how little of Goya's own intention is known, it's understandable, but I personally might've preferred a less combative tone from the author. Still highly recommended.

This is a superb book by an exceptional writer. I have read several books by Mr. Hughes, and have enjoyed each and every one of them. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in Goya and the state of Spain during his lifetime.

Excellently researched and filled with great information and lots of photos (color) and illustrations. A fascinating book on one of the greatest, and most deeply interesting of painters.

Fantastic writing and so many illustrations! It weighs a ton because it's superb quality printing/picture reproduction on heavy stock.

One reviewer here says this book is "poorly written" and then goes on to list a few factual errors. In fact the book is beautifully written - impassioned, witty, sad, knowledgeable, expressive - and as for the factual errors, well, they seem quite minor to me, barely worthy of mention. If you love art or would like to love art - if you love Goya or would like to - get this book.

An excellent lively account which flows quickly. Provides a good overview of Spain at the end of the 18thC, a country of contrasts and great inequality. Hughes covers Goya's working life of 60 odd years and the historical context of a tumultuous Spain as Goya progressed from a talented but relatively junior painter of cartoons for the Royal Tapestry factory to court painter, society portraitist and social and political observer. Hughes' lively writing includes highly amusing pen pictures of several historical figures,e.g. Carlos IV. I only wished I had read it before my recent visit to the Museo del Prado

When Robert Hughes went to town on a subject, he really went to town. You can see it and read it in The Fatal Shore: The Epic of Australia's and Barcelona. The former is so deeply researched and then brought together as a very readable book on the convict history of Hughes' Australia. The latter is a travelogue-a-like book of Barcelona but not as you might expect with insights on the history and architecture.This magnum opus on Goya is simply amazing in the depth and the ground that it covers. It should receive a few more looks given the current filmic interest in the painter and a recent 'blockbuster' style flick release (which is pretty much utter tosh).Hughes builds the picture of Goya from the maker of cartoons for the Royal tapestry factory through the etchings of the war in Spain , through the Black Paintings and to his self-taken exile in Bordeaux. At no time does he lay it on so thick that you want to give up. This is a book by an art historian on a painter who he clearly loves his subject and it brings his work and it's importance into sharp focus.Should be owned by every painter.Right up there with some of the very best art books

Oh boy! This is the best. Insightful, opinionated, detailed, sensitive, funny. Takes the big picture (no pun) and considers minutiae. Demands an immediate re-read.

Arrived on time, and exactly as described - excellent purchase.

I have purchased a few books on Goya and this one is by far the most informative.It gives interesting details and insights in both the artist's life and his works.Would definitely recommend.

A good compact book with great pictures and story of Goya and his life.