Day 418 - Goya and Fuseli
July 19, 2025 I was ambivalent about going to the Met today - not that I had anything much better to do - but what a spectacular return it turned out to be! Gallery 641 contains 11 canvases by Goya, all of them notable. These include “Two Majas on a Balcony” - although I learn that the Met version may have been painted by a follower. The original is in a private collection, and I'm annoyed that it's inaccessible to the general public. Also in the gallery is an old friend, "Don Manuel Osorio, " a work I've known since I was young and first saw it in Betsy Chase's wonderful book on art for children. Goya depicts the little boy, dressed in bright red and holding his pet magpie on a leash, while three cats - one of which is indicated only by a black form and shining eyes - crouch watchfully, either hypnotized by or preparing to pounce. on the bird. A number of portraits show Goya’s skilled brushwork, especially in painting lustrous fabrics. Today’s selec...