Getty Museum
Pygmalion and Galatea
Creator
Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes (Francisco de Goya)Spanish Artist · 1746–1828
All works by this person →Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes welcomed and received official honors and worldly success with enthusiasm. At the same time he left a ruthlessly penetrating record of his patrons and private expressions of introspection, moral objectivity, and caustic commentary on his times. By the 1780s Goya was Spain's leading painter, specializing in religious pictures and portraits. He acknowledged three m
More on Getty ULAN- Date
- possibly about 1812–1820
- Medium
- Brush and brown wash
- Culture
- Spanish
- Department
- Drawings
- Institution
- Getty Museum
- Object ID
- a20509c3-bd47-4495-88fc-8b7bd40a8564
A sculptor chisels away at his statue of an ideal woman. Francisco José Goya y Lucientes here referred to the mythological story of Pygmalion, the legendary king of Cyprus who fell in love with a statue. According to Ovid, Pygmalion carved the statue from ivory with wonderful artistry. Every night he prayed to Venus that he might have a wife as beautiful as the image he had created. Finally, the goddess caused the statue to come to life. As Pygmalion's wife, she came to be called Galatea. In a possible self-portrait, Goya depicted Pygmalion with his legs spread wide, readying himself to take a mighty swing at the chisel, which is aimed at Galatea's crotch. Leaning slightly forward, she looks out with a fearful expression. Goya's animated interpretation of the well-known myth is highly original and even mocking. Free application of sepia wash shows Goya's complete command of the range of tones available in this medium.
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