Winter
1786 Art Institute of Chicago
About this artwork
This painting is one of a series of four works depicting the four seasons, commissioned by King Charles III for the dining room of the Prince of Asturias at the El Pardo Palace. It depicts a group of peasants huddled together against a harsh, freezing winter wind while traveling.
Did you know?
Goya created this series of seasonal paintings as 'cartoons' intended to serve as preparatory models for tapestries. Despite the grim and challenging nature of the subject—reflecting the hardships of rural life—the king and his court prized these works for their ability to convey naturalistic human emotion and harsh environmental conditions. The dramatic contrast between the shivering figures and the bleak, windy landscape highlights Goya's early mastery of psychological depth and atmospheric rendering.
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Winter
Francisco Goya, 1786
