An artwork on Galleree from Minneapolis Institute of Art.
About the artwork
Self-Portrait with Dr. Arrieta1820
Artist: Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes
Spanish, 1746–1828
Portrait.
45 1/8 x 30 1/8 in. (114.62 x 76.52 cm) (canvas)
54 x 39 1/8 x 3 3/4 in. (137.16 x 99.38 x 9.53 cm) (outer frame)
Oil on canvas
Painting
Spain
19th century
The Ethel Morrison Van Derlip Fund
In the softly fading light of a quiet studio, an artist reflects on life, surrounded by brushes and colors that have whispered secrets of the soul for decades. Francisco Goya, once the court painter to the powerful kings, Charles III and Charles IV of Spain, finds himself at a turning point, not just in his career but in the very fabric of his existence.
It is late in his life, the year 1819, and shadows of illness loom. Goya has been laid low, battling a serious ailment that has gripped him with an iron fist, leaving him fragile and vulnerable. In this time of need, a figure emerges, a steadfast companion in the cloak of a physician—Eugenio García Arrieta. With gentle hands and a healing presence, he tends to Goya with the utmost care, guiding him back toward the light.
As the grip of illness loosens and recovery begins to bloom, a profound gratitude stirs within Goya. It is this feeling that compels him to create one final self-portrait, a piece that goes beyond the canvas and brushes — it is a heartfelt homage. In 1820, with strokes imbued with emotion, he captures the moment between himself and Arrieta. The two figures, the artist and his savior, are intertwined in a delicate balance of trust and survival.
Upon the canvas lies an inscription, a testament of thanks that echoes through time: “Goya gives thanks to his friend Arrieta for the expert care with which he saved his life from an acute and dangerous illness.” It serves as a declaration of love and appreciation from the painter to the healer, marking a triumphant return from the precipice of despair.
This painting, displaying not just artistry but a deep reverence for life, takes on the form of an ex-voto, a cherished piece in Spanish culture that expresses gratitude for deliverance from calamity. In this masterpiece, Goya’s brush becomes an instrument of connection, painting a story of friendship that transcends the years. Here, the artist immortalizes a moment of vulnerability transformed into gratitude, a gentle reminder of the bonds that save us in our darkest hours.
About the artist
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