Unit 4 - Romanticism - Sketchbook

Goya is well known for his sketchy brushwork, which
creates notion of spontaneity and drama. The figure’s
white shirt appears distinctive, due to Goya’s muted
earthy palette. White adds to the purity of the character
and gives him a martyr like appearance. The
aforementioned elements are amplified by his gesture;
figure’s arms in the air are reminiscent of the crucifixion
The anonymity of the oppressors adds to
the emotional intensity of the work and
creates a notion of cruelty, as oppose to
the helplessness of the unarmed,
innocent Spaniards.
Although the perspective and scale of the
figures appear to be rather contradictory, the
acute foreshortening creates depth in the
canvas, and deliberately accentuates the drama
in the painting. Splashes of blood enliven the
colour palette and set the tone. The ubiquitous
atrocity reminds me of the paintings by the
Baroque artist Caravaggio
The light from the lantern puts an emphasis
on the main figure. There is also another
lightsource, probably moon, hitting the backs
of the French soldiers. However, the light,
similarly to perspective and scale, appears to
be inconsistent as it should not be hitting the
figures from the back.
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