The Culture, Traditions, and Heritage of Spain

Bartolomé Esteban Murillo

Another Spanish artist who painted religious scenes was Bartolomé Esteban Murillo (1617-1682). Murillo also painted scenes of everyday life, such as the young, homeless boys who begged on the streets of Seville, where he lived.

Art of the Court

Kings and queens throughout Spain´s history paid artists to paint portraits of the royal family. When Diego Velázquez (1599-1660) was only 24 years old, he became Painter to the King. For the rest of his career, he painted realistic portraits of the royal family and other members of the King´s court. He was one of the first artists to depict the dwarfs who worked in the court as entertainers with respect and sympathy.

Francisco Goya

Francisco Goya (1746-1828) worked in King Charles III´s court, painting portraits of Spanish nobility and historical events. His early paintings show people enjoying outdoor activities, such as picnics. In 1792, Goya caught a mysterious illness that left him deaf. After that, his work became more negative, with thick, bold strokes of dark color. His portraits of the royal family made them look unattractive, and he painted the horrors of battle in works such as Disasters of War, a series of 80 paintings. In the 1820s, after the death of his wife and son, Goya´s work became even gloomier. He painted black murals on the walls of his home. Some of these paintings showed scenes of witchcraft or shocking events from Greek mythology. These Black Paintings were eventually moved to the Prado.