Friar Pedro Shoots El Maragato

In this 1806 painting by Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes’s, we see a realistic depiction of a narrative in progress. Painted with oil on panel, de Goya constructs a visual retelling of events reminiscent of literary illustration. Frequently focusing on the human experience, this work by de Goya both dramatizes and accurately depicts a moment in time. In Friar Pedro Shoots El Maragato as His Horse Runs Off, Francisco de Goya uses fluid brush strokes, leading lines and warm hues to capture the movement and theatrical tone of the narrative. Through compositional technique and directional lines, de Goya creates a conflicting visual momentum. Presented in a horizontal format, the viewer is primarily introduced to a linear direction that moves
from left to right. Starting with the stone wall as a geometric focal point, the vertical lines guide the viewer’s eye from the top of the canvas to the figure of the monk. The habit brings the direction of sight up from the stark vertical lines of the stone wall to the curvature of the monk’s figure. Both the lighter hues and shadows of the habit holds visual weight toward the right side of the figure, making the focal point at the base of the gun. Additionally, the monk’s stance creates a diagonal leading line from the head down to the arm. From the stylized cloud of smoke where the gun appears to fire, the viewer is given an abrupt downward slope to follow. Jumping from the end of the monk’s barrel, the geometric line is interrupted by the fluid mountainous shape of the horse in the background. The horse, alongside the landscape in the far back contrasts the downward angle of the gun with upward motion. Through the horizontal alignment of the figure’s arms and the left leaning curvature of the lower half, the movement is in direct conflict with the momentum created by the rest of the canvas. This solidifies the action represented in the painting as oppositional motion. Through his use of fluid brush strokes, de Goya paints a layered visual experience that creates the illusion of motion and depth.
While the majority of the canvas maintains a consistent density in it’s brush strokes, the subtle discrepancies in opacity help the viewer determine perspective. In the foreground, the monk is shadowed with deep blacks to create a focal point. As the weight of the shadow dissipates to the right, the illusion of space is created in the direction of the second figure. If it were not for the shadowing, the monk and the right figure would appear to sit on the same plane, but the attention to detail in the light’s displacement allows the viewer to get a sense of dimensionality. The density of the monk’s shadow in comparison to the other figure also tells the viewer that the monk is the primary focus of the scene. The opacity of the background, i.e, the horse and the skyline, are painted with much less intensity than the foreground. The interior lines of each figure are sharp and defined, while the outer lines blend with their surroundings. This technique creates fluidity and provides the illusion of movement. The gun blast is illustrated with bright reds and yellows, and gets more opaque as you follow the direction of the gun. Along with the guiding line created by the barrel, the abrupt change in value tells the viewer that these tones are in rapid motion. Coupled with directional lines, de Goya’s brushwork further emphasizes the narrative in
action. Through his use of warm tones and illustrative style, de Goya creates an atmosphere of dramatic storytelling and theatrical figure. The majority of the canvas appears yellow in color, highlighted by subtle blues and shadowed with deep browns. This tonal mixture suggests an aspect of literary realism, reminiscent of biblical illustration. Instead of a stark, cold palette, de Goya chooses to accentuate the narrative aspect of the work by maintaining a gritty atmosphere of expressive realism. While warm tones do suggest a dramatic depiction of an event, they also function in placing the work in a context of reality. This conversation between the fantastic and the realistic are essential to de Goya’s approach in this work, and the colors function as depicting the latter. The recreation or reimagining of everyday life in the model of storytelling is a timeless approach to human expression that de Goya uses to his advantage. As a viewer, I will be much more likely to connect intimately with a work that seems to be based in reality than a stylized portrait of the impossible. At the very same time, a strong emphasis on theatre is also present, asking the viewer to question the truthfulness of the picture. Titled according to the explicit event depicted in the work, de Goya presents the narrative in a literal fashion and guides the viewer through the work as they question the experience in relation to their place within it.