Analysis Of Goya's Colossus

One of Goya’s most striking images, this is a work of great complexity. A giant seated in a landscape turns his head over his shoulder, suggesting that he has been disturbed from thought. In the upper right is a crescent moon and in the desolate landscape below we see tiny figures by a river. Parts of the giant’s face and his back are illuminated by light. He is possibly awaiting the dawning of a new day and turns because that moment has come. His slightly open mouth and the intensity of his gaze convey a feeling of anxiety or apprehension. What is he thinking, what is he waiting for, what might he do next? The image is produced using aquatint that is burnished to achieve subtle effects of light and dark. The technique perfectly suits the crepuscular atmosphere while conveying the unease that pervades the composition.
It has been dated to around 1800 or ‘by 1818'. There is a close relationship between the print and the famous painting of the 'Colossus' in the Museo del Prado, Madrid. Both works show the same figure. The painting has always been attributed to Goya, but in 2008 it was assigned by the Prado Museum as a studio work and not by the master himself. There is no consensus and disagreement continues. The print is critical in the debate about the authorship of the painting. If the painting is a studio work then the artist borrowed the figure of Colossus from Goya’s print. It is highly unlikely that Goya would borrow the figure from someone else’s painting to use in his