Adoration of the Name of God
Encyclopedia
The Adoration of the Name of God or The Glory (1772) is a fresco
painted by Francisco Goya
on the ceiling of the cupola over the Small Choir of the Virgin in the Basílica de Nuestra Señora del Pilar in Zaragoza
.
in comparison with the 25,000 paid to, for example, Antonio González Velázquez.
The work in its final execution displays the stereotypes of Late Baroque
Catholic religious painting. To either side are arranged groups of angels directing the attention to the central scene, dominated by the symbol of God the Father
, an equilateral triangle inscribed with the divine name. Because the various groups are situated at different altitudes, the final impression is rather static, dominated by a composition in the shape of an X, the result of Goya's intention to have the lines of force coming in from the corners and crossing in the centre.
Fresco
Fresco is any of several related mural painting types, executed on plaster on walls or ceilings. The word fresco comes from the Greek word affresca which derives from the Latin word for "fresh". Frescoes first developed in the ancient world and continued to be popular through the Renaissance...
painted by Francisco Goya
Francisco Goya
Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes was a Spanish romantic painter and printmaker regarded both as the last of the Old Masters and the first of the moderns. Goya was a court painter to the Spanish Crown, and through his works was both a commentator on and chronicler of his era...
on the ceiling of the cupola over the Small Choir of the Virgin in the Basílica de Nuestra Señora del Pilar in Zaragoza
Zaragoza
Zaragoza , also called Saragossa in English, is the capital city of the Zaragoza Province and of the autonomous community of Aragon, Spain...
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History
After returning from travelling in Italy to develop his knowledge in 1771, Goya received the commission to decorate the vault over the small choir of the Basílica del Pilar in Zaragoza, with a painting on the adoration of the name of God, in the execution of which he amply demonstrated his mastery of the techniques of fresco painting, although his remuneration was less than that of the other artists working on the ceilings of the basilica: Goya received 15,000 realesSpanish real
The real was a unit of currency in Spain for several centuries after the mid-14th century, but changed in value relative to other units introduced...
in comparison with the 25,000 paid to, for example, Antonio González Velázquez.
Description
Various sketches and preparatory drawings for the work have been preserved which display more accomplishment than the painting on the cupola shows in actuality, although it must be borne in mind that the fresco has been restored no less than four times, in 1887, 1947, 1967 and 1991. In them Goya planned a composition of great contrast in the colouring and the illumination, and with a considerably greater dynamism in the movement than is visible in the finished product.The work in its final execution displays the stereotypes of Late Baroque
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
Catholic religious painting. To either side are arranged groups of angels directing the attention to the central scene, dominated by the symbol of God the Father
God the Father
God the Father is a gendered title given to God in many monotheistic religions, particularly patriarchal, Abrahamic ones. In Judaism, God is called Father because he is the creator, life-giver, law-giver, and protector...
, an equilateral triangle inscribed with the divine name. Because the various groups are situated at different altitudes, the final impression is rather static, dominated by a composition in the shape of an X, the result of Goya's intention to have the lines of force coming in from the corners and crossing in the centre.