Francisco goya family

Goya Biography

Biography of Francisco Jose de Goya y Lucientes, Father of Modern Art (1746–1828)

Introduction

Francisco Goya is widely known as one of the most important Spanish artists of all time and is often heralded as a pivotal figure in the transition to modern art.

Straddling two transformational centuries, Goya emerged as one of the key artistic voices of his generation and ushered in the innovative spirit of the 19th century.

Born and raised in the small town of Fuendetodos in northeastern Spain, Goya discovered his artistic skill at a remarkably early age.

Indeed, he was yet in his teens when he moved to Madrid to study with Raphael Mengs, one of the leading Neoclassical painters of the late 18th century. His ascent to success from that point was quite rapid; soon after, he was appointed as Royal Court Painter for the Spanish monarchy, achieving the most supreme rank of court painters, the Primer Pintor de Cámara, in 1799.