Goya Exhibition at the Prado

Hey, you guys all thought this old Texas bullfrog ain't got any culture, didn't ya? Didn't ya?? Well, just look here.











This is a scene from ... hold on, now! ... the Prado in Madrid, Spain. They've got a big exhibition going on there now of art by the Spanish artist Francisco de Goya. The piece on the left is entitled "The Third of May, 1808," and the one on the right is entitled "The Second of May, 1808." Folks tell me that both paintings are really famous and that they are landmarks about the Spanish uprising at the time against Napoleon's French troops. "The Third of May" shows French soldiers executing Spanish civilians the day after the May 2 street rebellion, and apparently that was the beginning of Spain's War of Independence from Napoleonic France. Goya's painting of the scene is said to have haunted many other artists in 19th century Europe and in particular greatly influenced both Edouard Manet and Pablo Picasso.

Apparently Goya ranks right up there with the two other famous Spanish artists Velázquez and El Greco, or at least so they tell me.

Now, I don't know much about that sort of stuff, but it sounds interesting. But I don't guess I'll ever make it to Madrid. I hope you guys go sometime, and you've got a lot to see.

Here's a scene in Madrid I really like:


















This is the Basilica of San Francisco el Grande. Now isn't that just the prettiest thing ever? My Spanish is mighty weak, but I sure know pretty things when I see them.