Get curated editors’ picks, peeks behind the scenes, film recommendations and more.
Starting from modest origins in rural Spain, Francisco Goya (1746-1828) rose to become one of the most celebrated artists in Europe and prime court painter to the Spanish Crown. Today, however, Goya is less known for his accomplished career in Catholic Church commissions and royal portraiture than his dramatic late-in-life turn towards the dark and macabre, including a series of works known as the ‘Black Paintings’ that were never intended for public display. In this instalment of his YouTube series Great Art Explained, the UK curator, gallerist and video essayist James Payne details how a combination of geopolitical and personal struggles led Goya to the bleak outlook that birthed these intense and often disturbing images, as well as the indelible influence they’ve had on art in the centuries since his death.
Video by Great Art Explained
video
Ecology and environmental sciences
GPS tracking reveals stunning insights into the patterns of migratory birds
6 minutes
video
Human rights and justice
Can providing humanitarian aid be illegal? A troubling case from the US-Mexico border
17 minutes
video
Space exploration
The rarely told story of the fruit flies, primates and canines that preceded us in space
12 minutes
video
Film and visual culture
A lush animated opus evokes the frenzied pace of modern life
4 minutes
video
Family life
The precious family keepsakes that hold meaning for generations
10 minutes
video
Archaeology
What did the first people who entered Tutankhamun’s tomb see?
5 minutes
video
Information and communication
Coverage of the ‘balloon boy’ hoax forms a withering indictment of for-profit news
17 minutes
video
Childhood and adolescence
Marmar is living through a devastating war – but she’d rather tell you about her new dress
8 minutes
video
Meaning and the good life
Wander through the English countryside with two teens trying to make sense of the world
10 minutes