Francisco de Goya and the Art of Critique

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This innovative study explores the critical function of Goya's art, examining the relationship between his extensive and sometimes perplexing body of work and the themes of modernity, Enlightenment, and critique. Cascardi challenges traditional interpretations that focus solely on Goya’s darker images to assert his relevance to modernity. Instead, he posits that Goya’s entire oeuvre engages in a comprehensive critique of the modern social and historical contexts of which it is a part. The book addresses the perceived divide between the Disasters of War and Black Paintings and Goya’s depictions of bourgeois life and portraits of aristocrats, military figures, and intellectuals. These contradictions serve as a gateway to understanding Goya’s critical practice in relation to European modernity, particularly the Enlightenment values prevalent in France, England, and Germany. Cascardi offers an alternative perspective to established readings, which often highlight social criticism in works like the Caprichos but overlook those that do not explicitly address social or political themes. Ultimately, the study reveals Goya's consistent engagement in critical responses to various influences—history, politics, popular culture, religion, and art history—rather than merely representing them.