El Maragato Threatens Friar Pedro de Zaldivia with His Gun
Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes
1801–1811
- Medium
- Oil on panel
- Dimensions
- Framed: 41.6 × 51.2 × 6.4 cm (16 3/8 × 20 1/8 × 2 1/2 in.)
- Genre
- oil on panel
- Museum
- Art Institute of Chicago
Styles
Tags
oil paintings (visual works)paintingnineteenth century19th centurypaintChicago World's FairsCentury of Progressfriarsoil on panelplant materialprisonerspanel paintingmenoil paint (paint)painting (image making)painting techniquesbrown (color)wood (plant material)mangunsviolenceSpainworld's fairsinteriororganic materialNarrativeoil paintingpanel (wood)european paintingprisonspanish
About
In small, lively paintings made for his own pleasure or for a few discerning patrons, Francisco de Goya explored satirical and popular aspects of Spanish life. This series was inspired by a contemporary event, the capture of notorious criminal El Maragato by Friar Pedro de Saldivia in 1806. After escaping from prison, El Maragato spent two months stealing food, guns, and money before trying to take Friar Pedro and other innocent people hostage. The friar outsmarted the bandit, however, seizing his gun, shooting him in the thigh as he tried to flee, and finally tying him up. This story was extremely popular in the early 19th century and Spanish artists memorialized it in images, poems, and songs.
