Two Old Men Eating Soup
Encyclopedia
Two Old Men Eating Soup (Spanish: Dos viejos comiendo sopa) or The Witchy Brew (Spanish: Dos Brunjas) one of the Black Paintings
created by Francisco de Goya between 1819-23. By this time, Goya was in his mid-70s and deeply disillusioned. He painted the works on the interior walls of the house known as "The House of the Deaf Man" (Quinta del Sordo). They were not intended for public display. Two Old Men Eating Soup likely occupied a position above the main door to the house, between La Leocadia and Two Old Men
.
Like all other Black Paintings, it was transferred to canvas in 1873-74 under the supervision of Salvador Martínez Cubells, a curator at the Museo del Prado
, Madrid. The owner, Baron Emile d'Erlanger, donated the canvases to the Spanish state in 1881, and they are now on display at the Prado.
In the image, two elderly figures loom forward from a black background; although they are assumed to be men, their gender is not readily apparent. The mouth of the left figure is drawn into a grimace, possibly from lack of teeth. In stark contrast to this animated expression, the face of the other figure hardly seems alive at all. Its eyes are black hollows and the head in general bears the aspect of a skull.
As in the rest of the Black Paintings, Goya's use of his medium displays an assurance that comes only from a lifetime of experience. Paint is handled freely and rapidly yet with great decisiveness. The palette knife is also used to apply paint in some areas. Blacks, ochres, earth tones and grays are the only colors used, as in the rest of the black paintings.
Black Paintings
The Black Paintings is the name given to a group of paintings by Francisco Goya from the later years of his life, likely between 1819–1823. They portray intense, haunting themes, reflective of both his fear of insanity and by then, his bleak outlook on humanity...
created by Francisco de Goya between 1819-23. By this time, Goya was in his mid-70s and deeply disillusioned. He painted the works on the interior walls of the house known as "The House of the Deaf Man" (Quinta del Sordo). They were not intended for public display. Two Old Men Eating Soup likely occupied a position above the main door to the house, between La Leocadia and Two Old Men
Two Old Men
Two Old Men, also known as Two Monks or An Old Man and a Monk are names given to one of the 14 "black paintings" painted by Francisco de Goya between 1819-23. Goya was then in his mid 70s and in mental and physical distress...
.
Like all other Black Paintings, it was transferred to canvas in 1873-74 under the supervision of Salvador Martínez Cubells, a curator at the Museo del Prado
Museo del Prado
The Museo del Prado is the main Spanish national art museum, located in central Madrid. It features one of the world's finest collections of European art, from the 12th century to the early 19th century, based on the former Spanish Royal Collection, and unquestionably the best single collection of...
, Madrid. The owner, Baron Emile d'Erlanger, donated the canvases to the Spanish state in 1881, and they are now on display at the Prado.
In the image, two elderly figures loom forward from a black background; although they are assumed to be men, their gender is not readily apparent. The mouth of the left figure is drawn into a grimace, possibly from lack of teeth. In stark contrast to this animated expression, the face of the other figure hardly seems alive at all. Its eyes are black hollows and the head in general bears the aspect of a skull.
As in the rest of the Black Paintings, Goya's use of his medium displays an assurance that comes only from a lifetime of experience. Paint is handled freely and rapidly yet with great decisiveness. The palette knife is also used to apply paint in some areas. Blacks, ochres, earth tones and grays are the only colors used, as in the rest of the black paintings.