Christiane Quandt

Francisco de Goya is one of the most famous painters and graphic artists from the turn of the 18th to the 19th century, leaving behind a highly diverse oeuvre with his historical paintings, portraits, drawings, and printmaking works. With the socially critical series "Los Caprichos," from which "The Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters" has become a common saying, and "The Disasters of War" (Desastres de la guerra), he created enduring images against intolerance, hatred, and the horrors of war. Less known is that Goya was also a very productive and amusing letter writer, with more correspondence preserved than most other visual artists of his time. The letters to his childhood friend Martín Zapater provide insights into the concerns of a family man and painter, revealing his efforts for early artistic success, sharing a mutual passion for hunting, worries about financial investments, and the exchange of gifts of all kinds—including a dog and almond nougat. Above all, they hint at how he sought to escape the increasing constraints of court and academic service through imaginative daydreams. In contrast, the letters to the royal court, noble patrons, or the art academy testify to the painter's struggle for his independence as an artist, recounting war and the horrors of the French occupation as well as the subsequent period of restoration. For the first time in German, this volume offers a representative glimpse into Goya's world with over 155 letters and an extensive selection of illustrations. The letters have been newly translated into German for this edition by Christiane Quandt, with annotations edited by Markus Bernauer, Christiane Quandt, and Martin Schwander.