This is a complete list of Francisco Goya's 63 large cartoons for tapestries (Spanish: cartones para tapices) painted on commission for Charles III of Spain and later Charles IV of Spain between 1775 and 1791 to hang in the San Lorenzo de El Escorial and El Pardo palaces. The word "cartoon" is derived from the Italian cartone, which describes a large sheet of paper used in preparation for a later painting or tapestry."Cartoon". National Gallery, London. Retrieved 29 March 2010. Goya's were executed on canvas which was then woven into wool tapestry to a large mural scale. While many of the large finished works are today in the Prado Museum, the original sketches were sold as works in their own right.Grange, 43
In 1774, Goya was asked by the German artist Anton Raphael Mengs, acting on behalf of the Spanish crown, to undertake the series. While designing tapestries was neither prestigious nor well paid, Goya used them, along with his early engravings, to bring himself to wider attention.Hagen & Hagen, 7 They afforded his first contact with the Spanish monarchy that was to eventually appoint him court painter.Hughes, 103 The works are mostly popularist in a rococo style, and were completed early in his career, when he was largely unknown and actively seeking commissions. There is evidence that he later regretted having spent so much effort and time on the pieces, and that his later darker period, which begins roughly with Yard with Lunatics, was in part a reaction against them.
By 1776, aged 29, he had completed five tapestries, by the Real Fábrica de Tapices de Santa Bárbara, the royal tapestry manufactory. His brother-in-law Francisco Bayeu was made director of the tapestry works in 1777, which greatly advanced the ambitious artist's career prospects.Hughes, 44-45 However, Goya was beset by illness during the period, and his condition was used against him by the contemporary art scene, which looked jealously upon any artist seen to be rising in stature. Some of the larger cartoons, such as The Wedding, were more than 8 by 10 feet, and had proved a drain on his physical strength. Ever resourceful, Goya turned this misfortune around, claiming that his illness had allowed him the insight to produce works that were more personal and informal.Hughes, 130 However, he found the format limiting, because being inherently matte, tapestry was unable to capture complex colour shift or texture, and was unsuited to the impasto and glazing techniques he was by then applying to his painted works.Hughes, 83
Dating the series has not been difficult as the Royal Tapestry Works maintained a detailed record of the dates, titles, sizes and states in which each of the cartoons arrived. Goya's letters to his friends (in particular his correspondence with the Aragonese industrialist Martín Zapater) contain additional details.
Groupings
The series can be divided into a number of groups based on intended location or theme. Art historians Valeriano Bozal and Nigel Glendinning arrange the series in four groups,Bozal, ValerianoGlendinning, Nigel whereas Janis Tomlinson places them in seven.Cartones para tapices, Museo del Prado, 2008. The Goya catalogue of the Museo del Prado is closer to Tomlinson than to Bozal or Glendinning, but attempts to reconcile the two positions by grouping the cartoons into five sequences.Mena Márquez, Manuela de
Goya had at first wanted to paint French or Dutch pastoral scenes, however Charles IV preferred "entertainments and clothing of the present time". This afforded Goya the opportunity to study closely his fellow citizens going about their daily lives,Grange, 43 and allowed him to work outside of ecclesiastical commissions, which he often found dull and uninspiring.Hughes, 84 In general the cartoons are playful and depict the leisure activities of a variety of ages and social classes. Nine are hunting scenes that were for the dining room at the Escorial, which pleased the king's son—the future Charles IV—who was an avid hunter. A further ten were created for the dining room at El Pardo."Francisco de Goya (1746–1828) and the Spanish Enlightenment". Metropolitan Museum of Art. Retrieved 27 March 2010. The prince's wife, Maria Luisa, enjoyed the scenes of dancing and singing. The works are painted in the then-fashionable Rococo style, and heavily influenced by Antoine Watteau, whose work Goya came to know through his studies of Titian.Hughes, 22
First series (1775) Tapestry Spanish title Date Dimensions Museum La caza del jabalíGassier, p. 84. 1775 249 × 173 cm Palacio Real (Madrid) La caza de la codornizGassier, pág. 84. o Partida de caza 1775 290 × 226 cm Museo del Prado (Madrid) Perros y útiles de cazaMuseo del Prado, «Perros y útiles de caza». Retrieved 27 March 2010. 1775 112 × 174 cm Museo del Prado Caza con reclamoMuseo del Prado, «Caza con reclamo». Retrieved 27 March 2010. 1775 112 × 179 cm Museo del Prado Cazador cargando su escopetaMuseo del Prado, «Cazador cargando su escopeta». Retrieved 27 March 2010. 1775 289 × 90 cm Museo del Prado El cazador con sus perrosMuseo del Prado, «El cazador con sus perros». Retrieved 27 March 2010. 1775 262 × 71 cm Museo del Prado El pescador de cañaMuseo del Prado, «El pescador de caña». Retrieved 27 March 2010. 1775 290 × 226 cm Museo del Prado
Second series (1776–1778)
Tapestry Spanish title Date Dimensions Museum La merienda a orillas del ManzanaresMuseo del Prado, «La merienda a orillas del Manzanares». Retrieved 27 March 2010. 1776 271 × 295 cm Museo del Prado El baile de San Antonio de la FloridaMuseo del Prado, «El baile de San Antonio de la Florida». Retrieved 27 March 2010. 1776–1777 275 × 298 cm Museo del Prado El bebedorMuseo del Prado, «El bebedor». Retrieved 27 March 2010. 1777 107 × 151 cm Museo del Prado El quitasol (The Parasol)Museo del Prado, «El quitasol». Retrieved 27 March 2010. 1777 104 × 152 cm Museo del Prado La maja y los embozadosMuseo del Prado, «La maja y los embozados». Retrieved 27 March 2010. 1777 275 × 190 cm Museo del Prado La riña en la Venta NuevaMuseo del Prado, «La riña en la venta nueva». Retrieved 27 March 2010. 1777 275 × 414 cm Museo del Prado Jugadores de naipesMuseo del Prado, «Jugadores de naipes». Retrieved 27 March 2010. 1777–1778 270 × 167 cm Museo del Prado La cometaMuseo del Prado, «La cometa ». Retrieved 27 March 2010. 1778 269 × 285 cm Museo del Prado Muchachos cogiendo frutaMuseo del Prado, «Muchachos cogiendo fruta». Retrieved 27 March 2010. 1778 119 × 122 cm Museo del Prado Niños inflando una vejigaMuseo del Prado, «Niños inflando una vejiga». Retrieved 27 March 2010. 1778 116 × 124 cm Museo del Prado
Third series (1778–1779) Tapestry Spanish title Date Dimensions Museum El ciego de la guitarraMuseo del Prado, «El ciego de la guitarra». Retrieved 27 March 2010. 1778–1779 260 × 311 cm Museo del Prado El cacharreroMuseo del Prado, «El cacharrero». Retrieved 27 March 2010. 1778–1779 259 × 220 cm Museo del Prado La aceroleraMuseo del Prado, «La acerolera». Retrieved 27 March 2010. 1778–1779 259 × 100 cm Museo del Prado La feria de MadridMuseo del Prado, «La feria de Madrid». Retrieved 27 March 2010. 1778–1779 258 × 218 cm Museo del Prado El militar y la señoraMuseo del Prado, «El militar y la señora». Retrieved 27 March 2010. 1778–1779 259 × 100 cm Museo del Prado Muchachos jugando a soldados 1779Museo del Prado, «Muchachos jugando a soldados» 146 × 94 cm Museo del Prado El niño del árbolMuseo del Prado, «El niño del árbol». Retrieved 27 March 2010.It is difficult to determine to which series these works belong. (El majo de la guitarra, El columpio, El juego de la pelota a pala, El niño del árbol and El muchacho del pájaro.) Most critics place them in the third series, while Tomlinson places them in the fourth. 1779–1780 262 × 40 cm Museo del Prado El muchacho del pájaroMuseo del Prado, «El muchacho del pájaro». Retrieved 27 March 2010. 1779–1780 262 × 40 cm Museo del Prado El majo de la guitarraMuseo del Prado, «El majo de la guitarra».Retrieved 27 March 2010. 1779 137 × 112 cm Museo del Prado
Fourth series (1779–1780) Tapestry Spanish title Date Dimensions Museum El columpioMuseo del Prado, «El columpio». Retrieved 27 March 2010. 1779 260 × 165 cm Museo del Prado El juego de la pelota a palaMuseo del Prado, «El juego de la pelota a pala». Retrieved 27 March 2010. 1779 261 × 470 cm Museo del Prado El médicoNational Gallery of Scotland, «El médico» . Retrieved 27 March 2010. 1779 95.8 × 120.2 cm National Gallery of Scotland El balancínMuseu de Belles Arts de València, «El balancín». Retrieved 27 March 2010. 1780 95.8 × 120.2 cm Museu de Belles Arts de València Niños del carretónToledo Museum of Art, «Goya Thefth» . Retrieved 27 March 2010. 1778 30 × 43 cm Toledo Museum of Art (Ohio) La citaMuseo del Prado, «La cita». Retrieved 27 March 2010. 1779–1780 100 × 151 cm Museo del Prado El resguardo de tabacosMuseo del Prado, «El resguardo de tabacos». Retrieved 27 March 2010. 1779–1780 262 × 137 cm Museo del Prado Las lavanderasMuseo del Prado, «Las lavanderas». Retrieved 27 March 2010. 1779–1780 218 × 166 cm Museo del Prado Los leñadoresMuseo del Prado, «Los leñadores». Retrieved 27 March 2010. 1780 141 × 114 cm Museo del Prado La novilladaMuseo del Prado, «La novillada». Retrieved 27 March 2010. 1780 259 × 136 cm Museo del Prado
Fifth series (1786–1787) Tapestry Spanish title Date Dimensions Museum Niños con mastinesMuseo del Prado, «Niños con mastines». Retrieved 27 March 2010. 1786–1787 112 × 145 cm Museo del Prado Niño montando un carneroArt Institute of Chicago, «Boy with a ram». Retrieved 27 March 2010. 1786–1787 127.2 × 112.1 cm Art Institute of Chicago (Illinois) Las florerasMuseo del Prado, «Las floreras». Retrieved 27 March 2010. 1786–1787 277 × 192 cm Museo del Prado La nevadaMuseo del Prado, «La nevada». Retrieved 27 March 2010. 1786–1787 275 × 293 cm Museo del Prado El albañil heridoMuseo del Prado, «El albañil herido». Retrieved 27 March 2010. 1786–1787 268 × 110 cm Museo del Prado Los pobres en la fuenteMuseo del Prado, «Los pobres en la fuente» 1786–1787 277 × 115 cm Museo del Prado Riña de gatosMuseo del Prado, «Riña de gatos» 1786–1787 56 × 193 cm Museo del Prado La vendimiaMuseo del Prado, «La vendimia». Retrieved 27 March 2010. 1786–1787 275 × 190 cm Museo del Prado La marica en un árbolMuseo del Prado, «La marica en un árbol». Retrieved 27 March 2010. 1786–1787 279 × 28 cm Museo del Prado La eraMuseo del Prado, «La era». Retrieved 27 March 2010. 1786–1787 276 × 641 cm Museo del Prado Cazador junto a una fuenteMuseo del Prado, «Cazador junto a una fuente». Retrieved 27 March 2010. 1786–1788 130 × 131 cm Museo del Prado Pastor tocando la dulzainaMuseo del Prado, «Pastor tocando la dulzaina». Retrieved 27 March 2010. 1786–1788 130 × 134 cm Museo del Prado
Sixth series (1787–1788)
Tapestry Spanish title Date Dimensions Museum La pradera de San IsidroMuseo del Prado, «La pradera de San Isidro». Retrieved 27 March 2010. 1788 44 × 94 cm Museo del Prado La ermita de San Isidro el día de la fiestaMuseo del Prado, «La ermita de San Isidro el día de la fiesta». Retrieved 27 March 2010. 1788 42 × 44 cm Museo del Prado La gallina ciega (Blind man's bluff)Museo del Prado, «La gallina ciega». Retrieved 27 March 2010. 1788–1789 269 × 350 cm Museo del Prado Merienda campestreNational Gallery of London, «A picnic». Retrieved 27 March 2010. 1786 41.3 × 25.8 cm National Gallery of London Gato acosadoArteHistoria.com, «Gato acosado» . Retrieved 27 March 2010. 1786 42 × 15.5 cm Colección particular (Madrid)
Seventh series (1791–1792)