Majas on a Balcony

This piece of art was painted by Francisco de Goya between 1800 and 1810. When he made the painting, Goya was serving as the official painter of the royal Spanish court. He completed the piece during the Peninsula War, at a time when the Spanish ruler and his son had been forced to abdicate.

Interestingly, Goya was able to retain his job throughout the French rule and was still hired when the Spanish rulers regained power. Goya considered his Maja pieces as distractions from more serious work, and they were not developed to be displayed in the royal Spanish court. He likely made the painting to decorate his own home. The original piece was sold by Goya's son to Baron Isidore Justin Séverin Taylor, and it is believed to currently be in the possession of Edmond de Rothschild. Other copies of the painting can be viewed at the Pezzoli collection in Paris and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

This piece showcases two women and two men, and they appear to be on a balcony. The four people are confined to the space by an iron railing. The women in the picture are dressed in the popular French clothes of the times, so it is likely that Francisco de Goya intended to show that Spanish women were importing dressing styles from France. They also have rings, which were also quite popular among French women. Considering the inelegant nature of the setting, the women do not seem to be members of the upper class. The men in the background of the picture have a threatening pose and are dressed in military clothes. Their faces are almost entirely covered, and their dark clothes strongly contrast the white dresses worn by the women.

Like other paintings by Francisco de Goya, this one was made using the oil on canvas medium. This painting method has been popular in Europe since the 1500s, and it seems to have originated from Asia. It became the dominant painting method in Europe because it was cheaper and easier to transport. Unlike wooden panels, canvas can easily be folded when it is transported. Oil paintings also take longer to dry. They can even be exposed to air for weeks and remain wet. This is a major advantage for painters as it gives them more time to work on the pieces.