La maja desnuda, oil on canvas by Francisco Goya, 1797–1800

Francisco De Goya was a Spanish artist born on March 30, 1746. He became an apprentice of art when he was fourteen years old. An established portrait painter, among other accomplishments such as church frescos, the style of his art spanned several different genres. 

( http://www.franciscodegoya.net/biography.html )

This is a painting from the romanticism period of art. Her exaggerated beauty makes her unnervingly unrealistic.

I chose this painting because I found it fascinating that he first painted this, and then painted a nearly identical image of her with her clothing on. This is one of the first Western paintings to show a woman’s pubic hair without any negative symbolism behind it (such as prostitution).
( http://totallyhistory.com/la-maja-desnuda/ )


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