Monstrosity in European Art: A reflection on the role of Monstrosity in 19th century paintings

Saturn Devouring One of His Sons (1821-1823)

          Satan Devouring One of His Sons is one of Goya’s most famous and most haunting paintings. The image is based on the tale of the Roman god Saturn who was told he would be killed by one of his children, so he ate them which eventually led to them rising up against him, fulfilling the prophecy. The artistic style and content of the painting is unnerving enough on its own but added is the inhuman body of Saturn and eyes that pierce outside of the canvas. Goya liked using his art for criticism and Saturn Devouring One of His Sons is no difference. Goya had become disillusioned with Spanish royal life and the story of Saturn is a perfect metaphor for the Spanish royalty; he had seen the Royalty and Napoleon's army destroy his country and hurt the people who the monarchy should have seen as children. Extending the analogy, Goya is saying that treating ones sons poorly will lead to an uprising against the father, or in this case against the Spanish royalty.
          What I find to be important in Goya’s work and specifically Saturn Devouring One of His Sons, is his use of monstrous figures in art to mock and call attention to flaws his society and culture. He did this in his other black paintings and left behind a primeval politcal cartoon that lashed out against the era it was made in. Like Maria de Zayas and Luis Vélez, Goya is looking at his own society, finding problems, and using monsters to help crystallize and show the errors. The only shame is that these paintings remained in his house and only became widely viewable once the intended audience had vanished. But Goya’s use of monsters expands on our understanding in class. Beyond capturing the unknown, Goya’s monsters captured the known and interrogated it to show the monstrosity of the institutions and bureaucracies of the time. Goya’s other “black paintings” and his “disasters of war” all fabulously convey the feelings of monstrosity and use it like a razors edge to dissect his society.
 

This page has paths:

Contents of this tag: