"It's easy to say Goya went mad. It's also dismissive and cruel," The highlight of the video for me. Whatever the Black Paintings say, they say SOMETHING, and Goya was screaming his artistic lungs out. I doubt he ever thought so many would want to listen.
Well said, I agree. However it's unfortunate that many artists of the past did suffer from lead, arsenic & mercury poisoning, because of the paint they used.
I mean, it's dismissive and cruel if one has a dismissive view of mental illness. As a mentally ill person myself, I feel like we have a lot to say about ourselves and the world that merits listening.
@@esomethingoranother3718that’s just speculation. It’s likely true for some, but it’s beyond our knowing and I think it’s wrong to assume that was the case for every one of them who suffered from mental illness. Plenty of non-chemically-addled people go mad every day lol
@stuppittyhed because it changes the meaning, paintings are suppose to inflict emotions to people so why is he inflicting this on himself only? Also shows how its not made for shock value
@@RoronoaZoro-co9ujart isn't SUPPOSED to do anything. That's a real bad assumption that artists aim to draw emotions out of others. So many do it out of pure self expression and don't think of an audience ever.
Well, this video completely recontextualizes my understanding of Goya. I have seen photographic depictions of many of the Black Paintings before, and I admired them for their emotional rawness, but the one semester of art history I took as an undergraduate elective never taught me that he *_lived_* privately with these paintings *_on his own walls_* and never left a record of his artistic intent. Given the knowledge you've imparted here, this series of paintings doesn't read to me as a chronicle of a man's descent into madness; quite the opposite, this reads to me as the work of an incredibly sane and compassionate humanist processing the trauma of living in a *_world_* that had descended into madness.
Yeah. Calling it “the work of an artists decent into madness” would make it a disservice, because it seems Goya was incredibly lucid the entire time, and it would have been less painful to him if he was actually insane; because it would take an especial kind of delusional to not notice and be affected by the suffering happening in his life.
Yes, there is nothing in the record to suggest Goya was ever actually insane. I strongly assume the black paintings were intended as a form of self-therapy.
so like maybe I'm too autistic but I don't get paintings. like at all. I understand a work can be emotional in and of itself, but the idea that you can somehow feel what the artist was feeling, just by looking, sounds completely ridiculous. obviously, it's not, but it's foreign to me. it's just paint, it doesn't *feel like* anything
replying because UA-cam won't let me edit: the idea especially that you can sense what was going through a painter's head is. nonsense to me. you're not psychic. I wish I could get it. But anytime I see an emotional analysis of a painting, it feels like I'm going insane. You see something I can't. It's honestly really disheartening.
@@toidIllorTAmI More or less. Different people would try for different reasons, varying from someone to carry on a family line/inheritance/to have more workers on the farm, etc.
Horses always covers such complex topics so well. It’s insane how they were able to find murals under the black paintings. The concept of these paintings is also extremely interesting
I used to be kind of obsessed with Goya when I was an adolescent and had the rare opportunity to be gifted with a copy of a very interesting RTE documentary about his work and specifically the black paints. From that documentary, it was clear to me that Goya wasn't crazy at all but very lucid till the end. Yes, most of his problems found root on extreme sensibility in a context of war, class struggle and family drama, but something extremely important you forgot to tell and there's a lot of evidence on this regard was his continuous exposure to lead paint: he didn't just used lead-based oil painting with brushes, but he often painted and refined details with his fingers which did not help with his health. Good reflexion on his work tough.
The harrowing, regretful, and horrified expression in Saturn Devouring his Son always reminded me of that one painting of Ivan the terrible and his son Ivan. Before I even knew the work's names, those gaunt wild-faces show the exact same feeling.
Im familiar with Goya's work and the political/personal nature of his Black paintings. It's super interesting to see his life's work as explained thru your lense. Fun fact, the painting of 'Saturn Devouring his Son' was discovered on the walls of Goya's dining room.
@@dehorrorbroeders8152 I have the exact painting on the back of my Phone case. Gimmicky I know…. But as one of my favourite pieces, and as many do… I tend to view my phone often. Therefore I’m repeatedly met by the traumatised gaze of Saturn on a daily basis. Weirdly, his stare calms me, reminding me that humanity has not yet succumbed to his depravity. One day however I think I will lock into his piercing eyes with a near understanding to his actions.
It also may not be Saturn. The painting was never named and Saturn is usually depicted devouring his kids when they were children, the man being devoured is an adult
That fun fact gets less fun when you think about it more and more. I just imagine Goya just staring deeply into his painting's eyes as they both devour their meals. Poor man.
I appreciate this reappraisal of Goya's black paintings. I'm so accustomed to the painting being called Saturn Eating His Son that it never occurred to me that we just don't know what he actually intended to depict.
You've probably seen them before without knowing. I've seen all these paintings before in some rock music videos of the 80s and 90s. Bob Dylan specifically had a music video for the song Joker Man that shows all these paintings. Some of them using CGI to animate them.
As someone from Spain, Goya's paintings are probably what made me feel I understood more the history of my country in the early 19th century. I can't really know, but they seem to me that they portray it better than anything else I've seen. His royal portraits, his rural themes, the war paintings and of course the black paintings. It's like what Les Miserables means for France but in a visual form. Like most geniuses, he anticipated future movements like expressionism and even abstract art (I defend the idea that the portrait of the dog is pre-abstract). This country has always had very bad leaders but the painters were something else.
Its why as a Mexican i feel conflicted about Spanish heritage because the Spanish people throughout history have been just that, people, and that is in my blood, but governance is a different beast and that governance is what has led to a legacy of deeply entrenched social striation both in the former colonies and in Spain itself.
The dog is also one of my favorite ones from his black paintings. You'll probably be interested to know that the painting was partially damaged in the process and some of the original features are missing. You can find that on its Spanish wikipedia article
@@PWizz91think about what the visual context suggests. it’s a dog buried to it’s head in sand. it’s a metaphor that could be applied to a whole hell of a lot of things.
14:37 I love your analysis but can''t help but giggle at the thought of having some unfinished painting on the wall, maybe even being in the process of painting it over, and 200 years later people be like "What was he thinking, what symbol is this half dog head? What horrors must have driven this man to such absurd statements"
Not only is an artist both sensitive and of keen insight per necessity of the craft, but when society demands only what is beautiful and pleasant leaving the remainder within the artist... where else are they to paint it but on their walls?
The last minute of this video I cant unhear as a sort of self reflection of your own work. You seem to observe the things, and the pain, that exist around you, with very much care yourself. Your work seems very honest to me, and even though you talk very little to none about the man behind the Horses channel, I feel like its painting a picture of you just as much as it depicts the art and the artists you show.
I feel like that's what art is meant for. Everyone perceives art not as the true intent or meaning the artist wanted to give their work (unless they're just explaining what the artist themself said about their work, which is impossible in this case) but as what meaning the one viewing the artwork perceives and the feeling they get from it based on their own experiences and point of view. No artist can control what people take away from the art, so a work of art, when viewed by an audience, ends up becoming more of a depiction of the people who interpret it than the artist themself. That isn't to say what the artist intended or the context in which a work of art is made isn't important, but moreso that since art is subjective, its impact on the consumer is more important than the art itself, let alone the artist who made it. So when someone critiques a work of art, that critique ends up teaching us more about the critic than the artist, in a way. Or at least that's how I see it as an aspiring artist. Since art is inherently subjective, so is my opinion on it :3 (Edit: also sorry if I made any mistakes while writing this. English isn't my first language ^^")
Man what an odd day. I woke and thought "I haven't seen a Horses video in a while" looked up your channel, saw and bought the Goya shirt, and then you drop a new video. It's a good day.
This has to be one of my most favourite videos from you. The idea that artists are particularly sensitive to the world honestly shook me, as an artist it really did make me feel connected to a man I've never met before. It's a bit weird to expression but I really felt seen here, my emotions and outlook on life are similar to Goya in a lot of ways, feeling more than I should for things, it's labelled me as too sensitive at times, so to see this and hear it out loud has me feel relief. You took great care in portraying Goya, it felt as if I was also being represented in turn, especially when it came to his pain, it felt like my pain too. I can't thank you enough for making this video.
Funny, I never thought of Saturn's expression as being afraid or surprised. I mainly thought it was an expression of him preparing to take another bite, the eyes just seemed to me empty, like a beast that is just eating. Excellent video!
I wrote about Goya in highschool and that turned into an obsession for a long time. All of the art in my house is done by him. Im not even an art guy but some of his work really spoke to me and he was very interesting. Great video.
I was just assigned a flim project and the first thing i thought of was your art style. I really have a hard time admitting something or someone had an influence on anything i do but. I will say you're channel has really helped me with opening my eyes I really just wanted to say thank you for creating this Channel and continuing to put out content.
Remember great artists really do steal. Just make it your own after you grab it. I had the same feeling of not wanting to recognize my inspirations, but then I realized that everyone likes to see the genealogy of stuff, and that if you steal in good faith it does not take alot to make something your own.
Same, and while I recognize my own hubris, it is incredibly rare to find this sort of commentary taken out of the ivory tower & transformed into something interesting. I am just now realizing how much this channel has inspired me in creating, I kid you not, k-12 history teaching resources. I can’t use such dramatic themes but I’m finding darker stories with very relevant themes, things that allow kids to understand the place they live, and to express their dark feelings about it. IMO, part of suicide prevention is giving indigenous kids tools to process a very specific trauma and giving all kids ways to understand and talk about the terrible forces of history that led to their present. Poverty and isolation are common here, at least in the parts of Montana I work with. But the rich Montanans are just awful lol…
I saw them at the museum this past summer and it was such an overwhelming experience. I spent around an hour going from painting to painting and taking in the details and I felt desperations and desolation grow in me. I have never felt so lonely in a room full of people.
insane person here . i appreciate you stating that assuming madness in cases like this is doing a disservice to understanding humanity . it's important to look at people who struggle with mental illness as human beings with their own likes , dislikes , desires , and aversions . i would argue that you can be just as insane and draw hello kitty , as someone else who's drawing war crimes . like that's still a person , theyre just having a hard time . if theyre making vent art it doesnt make them more or less sane .
It’s also astounding that it never seems to be brought up that paint solvents have been historically toxic and poisonous to blood and brains. In fact, it causes depression and dementia.
I think what makes a great artist is the one who's being honest about his/her feelings to world and not someone who's trying to get everyone's attention.
he became known and made his money by painting for people who stood directly against his beliefs and later used his painting for attention to spread is ideas of war being unjust
man, i found this channel a few months ago and i tear up at almost every essay. beautifully written and with a optimistic yet burdening tone that strikes very near to heart. this channel genuinely been legitimately impactful please don’t stop what your doing. much love from washington state
Your videos are artistry. Your narration style is refreshing, incredibly articulate and genuinely keeps me hooked. After absorbing so much useless content from UA-cam, I’m thrilled that I’ve found a channel that not only profoundly educates me, but challenges me and the philosophies I hold. Thank you Horses.
had some kind of mind shift over the course of 24 minutes. i empathize with Goya, i understand the feeling of utter disappointment for the world. he didn’t fall into madness, he wanted to express himself, to portray his anger towards the horrible broken system that people were forced to just accept. i myself feel less lonely looking into his work, in a way. thank you Horses for this video.
I genuinely do not understand how your content slaps so hard every time like you always make the perfect video with the perfect voiceover and perfect visuals for the perfect subject
I have never, in my several years on this platform, had to just sit and absorb a video after watching it. I usually think, "Oh, that's pretty cool," then go on to the next one. After this video, however, I felt the need to sit and reflect. I think the part of this that cut the deepest was hearing about Goya's struggles with the medical system. I have chronic pain and some health conditions that are exacerbated by my mental health, and I am also an artist (a musician). While fighting tooth and nail to get care and to get diagnoses, I have produced some of my most meaningful art. This art hasn't seen the light of day, however. I teach music, so most music I learn is not for myself. When I learn and write music, I feel it so deeply and so vividly that it is often hard to perform for others. It isn't stagefright, but rather the fear that I will come off too strongly. Knowing that Goya may have felt the same about his art, hoping some of it would never be seen by the countless eyes watching him, puts many of my artistic endeavors into perspective. It reminds me that it is not selfish to want to create for yourself. It is often seen as a social "obligation" to parade your art around for others, even if you don't necessarily want to. Only the most seasoned performers finally discover the magic of private creation. To be completely alone with your true thoughts -- not just the ones you think others will be okay hearing -- is both a horrifying and extremely freeing experience. It helps us to make sense of things, and in Goya's case, I believe he was seeking to understand himself and the world around him. I relate to this feeling, especially as someone with chronic health conditions. It can often seem like the world is moving at a completely different pace than you are, and it can be so confusing and discouraging to see other people seemingly "fine" and "fully functional". The frustration will likely never fully go away, but I find art helps me make sense of it and sort out a lot of my thoughts. Thank you for this wonderful dive into the Black Paintings. When I first saw these paintings in an art history class in college, they each sparked an intense emotional reaction. I felt horrified seeing Saturn devouring his son. I felt a deep unsettling dread seeing the circle of witches around the devil. I felt pangs of sadness and hopelessness for the dog drowning in what I thought was a river of sand. These paintings have been some of my favorites since the moment I saw them, even without any added context. Art is usually said to be something that sparks an emotion, and personally, these are the closest things I can find to fit that definition. I'm sure Goya felt the effects of this art as he was creating it, and I'm sure that compelled him to keep going.
It's actually written "Estación Goya" (Spanish is my first language) though I understand it's easy to mix up words that are similar in another language with how you write them in your first language (god knows it's happened to me a lot when I was learning English lol)
14:18, maybe I'm seeing things but to me it looks like there's a woman bent over screaming at the dog. She's the darker part of the sky right above the wave.
I had the privilege of seeing the Black Paintings in person, in the Prado Museum in Madrid. The atmosphere in that room was palpable. There were two or three I actually backed away from and felt the need to circle back around to rather than lingering too long. They were the first paintings I saw on that trip through the museum that distinctly made me wonder: What the hell was the artist feeling when they created this? What compelled them to pain these on his walls? The paintings come back to haunt me all the time, in my mind. Thank you for this video! Such great work, as always.
I'm glad people are still talking about Goya. I'm Spanish and I also create art for a living. Despite not living in the same conditions he did, I can understand how he felt about the world. Being a sensitive person is hard, and art was his way to express his pain and disagreement with the world. I use art the same way sometimes.
You're gonna be huge, man. I found you a couple weeks ago and I've already watched every single video of yours. You're doing so much right- from composition and objective viewpoints, to well designed merch. You check all my boxes, and I look forward to seeing you progress. P.S. Please resupply merch.
I took a tour in an art museum in Spain back when I was a senior in high school, and the tour guide told us and showed us the Black Paintings and I havent been the same since. Francisco de Goya has never left my mind since.
God, I love how beautifully you write and narrate these videos. Particularly the art-focused ones. They're just outstanding quality and so enjoyable and informative.
Hi Horses, I've been subscribed to your wonderful channel since earlier this year when I curiously clicked on your video about the ethical implications of rich people slumming it and posting it on social media for clicks which I found insightful and fascinating. I've been following your channel ever since because I love your video essays, I especially liked the one on Van Gogh and the Troubles. As a Spaniard I was pleasantly surprised to find that you chose one of my country's most famous painters as the video's subject. I'm familiar with Goya's Disasters of War but was unaware of his black paintings up until now, you really seem to understand what was afflicting Goya much like you did with Van Gogh, I consider myself a sensitive soul and relate greatly to their weltschmerz, you don't know how glad I am that someone else gets it too. I want you to know that your work is appreciated, thank you for making high-minded and intelligent content on UA-cam, it's a welcome breath of fresh air from all the algorithm-driven clickbait that infests the site.
As a person with a bachelors in art history I absolutely love this way of explaining the great art. Neithe the historical, nor the psychological aspects alone are valid for the translation, maybe it is even unnecessary, because the connection to the emotion of the artist reigns supreme. Thank you so much for this. It's as if all of the jumbled words in my head were strung into a proper string
posting this mainly for algorithm boost but, these videos always hit the spot - scratches the itch everytime i get the chance to view. thank you michael horses.
Incredible analysis, I am grateful someone is producing content in the modern world that demonstrates what I consider to be strikingly original, like your self. So thank you my friend
Siater Wendy Beckett, when talking about Goya's Black Paintings, said in a hushed, slightly horrified tone, that he didn't just paint these paintings, he LIVED with them. Never forgot that.
I enjoyed this video. Although I'm familiar with works of Dali and Picasso I never knew much at all about Goya and his life, art, and times that he lived in. Thanks.
I really love your art analysis essays! Thank you for another excellent subject. Having seen Goya's work while in Spain, it's definitely magnetic to look at, and often a little unsettling.
As a person living in Spain, we learn about Goya and study some of his paintings. I've visited the Museo del Prado several times and it was incredible seeing the collection of the black paintings because of the image I had of him. It subsequently made me interested on his work and exposed this truly unknown and hided phase of Goya to my fellow students and how it's present in a lot of the work we studied. Needless to say they were as fascinated as I firstly was.
You inspired me finding my own creative style of videos. I just started making and uploading them and the process makes me happy rather than being tired.
Got to see these in person in April. So intense. Favorite paintings of all time and it was so incredible seeing his mental dissension in paintings. These paintings are in a room by themselves at the end of a hall in the Prado and there’s a palpable air of unease.
Hello, Michael, I found your UA-cam channel some days ago, and I'm mesmerized by the quality and passion you put into these essays and videos. It would be great if more speakers of my native language (Portuguese, Brazil) could watch your content. I have no doubt they would benefit from it as I do, but turns out that a very small percentage of my people have the privilege of learning a different language. Would you be interested in having a subtitles translator? If so, is there any other way of contacting you or your team? I'd be glad to help bring your content to more people. Anyways, keep up with the amazing content, Horses is one of the nicest gems that I found on this platform so far :)
I’ve seen Goyas work in person in the ‘Museo Nacional del Prado’ and in the ‘black room’ there was just a still, gloomy energy over the whole room that gave me absolute chills.
I can’t FUCKING escape Saturn devouring his son! It’s everywhere! Even if you look up Wendigo! He haunts me! He haunts me in person,online,and in my DREAMS! Send help!
Your analogy of the model plane is insightful and apt. I've always been drawn to Goya's works and this was a fine essay of his efforts and lifetime. Thank you.
What is tryna? Is that a name? Or is it trying to? So confused with this murder of thr English language especially when the rest of the question has all the correct words?
@@fryingpantothefacestudios6665 fax. he thinks hes some snobby brattish richboy or something. he aint special. I hate people like this who try to act like they're better than everyone.
@@JoHnAnDjAnEdOe81 English is like any language. It is used by real people with real lives and it is not the sole property of "Great Works" books. Anywhere in the world you will find slang because that is how language lives. Language is not only literature. Language is about where you and your people are living. You would make a fool of yourself speaking like a Londoner if you were from the US. Don't be so protective of English, something you cannot claim.
I like his black paintings. The darker the art the more I find it intriguing. ... And @horse always describes stories like this with so much complexity and forward perspective.
Big shouts out to my man Horses, thank God somebody takes the time to actually add to a subject rather than paraphrase everything everyone else said already! Interesting and fresh take on a very powerful set
Might be pessimistic about this, but I think more people SHOULD see these paintings, and works of similar nature. From my personal experiences, way too many people are…delusional optimistics. Nothing wrong with genuine optimism, but simply blindly believing in only seeing the good, to the point where they actively avoid anything negative, has been a huge detrimental effect on the environment around them.
It’s funny,I also have fond memories of my grandfather building model airplanes when i was a child. That display of care and respect for the craft is one of the things that I believe made me enjoy art.
I was first introduced to Goya's works by his painting Still Life with Golden Bream. I had to pick a painting to analyze that spoke out to me, and I couldn't get it out of my head. In interpreting the painting and researching Goya, I came to understand his position and views on the depravity of war. He experienced and witnessed so much suffering in his life, balancing his views with his ability to support himself, and when I see the black paintings my heart hurts for all he'd been through. All because a painting of a pile of dead fish spoke to me more than anything else in the museum.
Really cool video essay. I got to see these in person a couple years ago. Like many people I grew up with these haunting images. I am not crazy about the process in which they were removed form his house walls and "reconstructed". That is mentioned briefly at the end of this video but it is a really big deal how much they changed in the move. People ask "what would you do with a time machine" ... well, I'd rake a super high resolution camera back to capture these as they were. Of course asking Goya about them would be even better.
"It's easy to say Goya went mad. It's also dismissive and cruel,"
The highlight of the video for me. Whatever the Black Paintings say, they say SOMETHING, and Goya was screaming his artistic lungs out. I doubt he ever thought so many would want to listen.
Well said, I agree. However it's unfortunate that many artists of the past did suffer from lead, arsenic & mercury poisoning, because of the paint they used.
there were toxic chemicals in the paint
He’s a fantastic man. The depths of horror of the mind and the total destruction fear can wrought into it.
I mean, it's dismissive and cruel if one has a dismissive view of mental illness. As a mentally ill person myself, I feel like we have a lot to say about ourselves and the world that merits listening.
@@esomethingoranother3718that’s just speculation. It’s likely true for some, but it’s beyond our knowing and I think it’s wrong to assume that was the case for every one of them who suffered from mental illness.
Plenty of non-chemically-addled people go mad every day lol
The fact that these were not meant to be seen, speaks volumes about the true meaning behind the paintings
such as?????
@stuppittyhed because it changes the meaning, paintings are suppose to inflict emotions to people so why is he inflicting this on himself only? Also shows how its not made for shock value
@@RoronoaZoro-co9uj he knew people would see them after he died.
he would have burned the house down if he didin't want people seeing it
@@RoronoaZoro-co9ujart isn't SUPPOSED to do anything. That's a real bad assumption that artists aim to draw emotions out of others. So many do it out of pure self expression and don't think of an audience ever.
Well, this video completely recontextualizes my understanding of Goya. I have seen photographic depictions of many of the Black Paintings before, and I admired them for their emotional rawness, but the one semester of art history I took as an undergraduate elective never taught me that he *_lived_* privately with these paintings *_on his own walls_* and never left a record of his artistic intent. Given the knowledge you've imparted here, this series of paintings doesn't read to me as a chronicle of a man's descent into madness; quite the opposite, this reads to me as the work of an incredibly sane and compassionate humanist processing the trauma of living in a *_world_* that had descended into madness.
i guess a quote thats fitting if this is the case is being well adjusted in an insane world is no measure of sanity
Yeah. Calling it “the work of an artists decent into madness” would make it a disservice, because it seems Goya was incredibly lucid the entire time, and it would have been less painful to him if he was actually insane; because it would take an especial kind of delusional to not notice and be affected by the suffering happening in his life.
Yes, there is nothing in the record to suggest Goya was ever actually insane. I strongly assume the black paintings were intended as a form of self-therapy.
so like maybe I'm too autistic but I don't get paintings. like at all.
I understand a work can be emotional in and of itself, but the idea that you can somehow feel what the artist was feeling, just by looking, sounds completely ridiculous.
obviously, it's not, but it's foreign to me. it's just paint, it doesn't *feel like* anything
replying because UA-cam won't let me edit: the idea especially that you can sense what was going through a painter's head is. nonsense to me. you're not psychic.
I wish I could get it. But anytime I see an emotional analysis of a painting, it feels like I'm going insane. You see something I can't. It's honestly really disheartening.
5 to 20 children and all but one made it. No wonder his paintings are so sad and disturbing.
Sad, but really very common for the time unfortunately
@@L1ghtweaverisn't that why they always tried to have a baby regardless of their wealth? I heard babies wouldn't survive passed age 1-6
@@toidIllorTAmI More or less. Different people would try for different reasons, varying from someone to carry on a family line/inheritance/to have more workers on the farm, etc.
for most of human history av. life exp. was 10
@@joejones9520🙄
Horses always covers such complex topics so well. It’s insane how they were able to find murals under the black paintings. The concept of these paintings is also extremely interesting
I recommend Jacob gellers ‘Art for No One’ if you liked the topic! His words are also quite magical
@@albecharlie497 watched that because of your recommendation, enjoyed it immensely thank you
He sure does.
I used to be kind of obsessed with Goya when I was an adolescent and had the rare opportunity to be gifted with a copy of a very interesting RTE documentary about his work and specifically the black paints. From that documentary, it was clear to me that Goya wasn't crazy at all but very lucid till the end. Yes, most of his problems found root on extreme sensibility in a context of war, class struggle and family drama, but something extremely important you forgot to tell and there's a lot of evidence on this regard was his continuous exposure to lead paint: he didn't just used lead-based oil painting with brushes, but he often painted and refined details with his fingers which did not help with his health. Good reflexion on his work tough.
can i ask the name of the documentary? it seems really interesting :)
Toxic chemicals in the paint are a hazard for oil painters even today.
The harrowing, regretful, and horrified expression in Saturn Devouring his Son always reminded me of that one painting of Ivan the terrible and his son Ivan. Before I even knew the work's names, those gaunt wild-faces show the exact same feeling.
i always relate the two paintings together
Im familiar with Goya's work and the political/personal nature of his Black paintings. It's super interesting to see his life's work as explained thru your lense. Fun fact, the painting of 'Saturn Devouring his Son' was discovered on the walls of Goya's dining room.
Whoa, so everytime he ate he had to see that...
@@dehorrorbroeders8152 I have the exact painting on the back of my Phone case. Gimmicky I know…. But as one of my favourite pieces, and as many do… I tend to view my phone often. Therefore I’m repeatedly met by the traumatised gaze of Saturn on a daily basis. Weirdly, his stare calms me, reminding me that humanity has not yet succumbed to his depravity. One day however I think I will lock into his piercing eyes with a near understanding to his actions.
The shock he portrays in Saturn asks us, the viewer, are you as shocked as what I am? If no, why not? Maybe you’re sicker than I am.
It also may not be Saturn. The painting was never named and Saturn is usually depicted devouring his kids when they were children, the man being devoured is an adult
That fun fact gets less fun when you think about it more and more. I just imagine Goya just staring deeply into his painting's eyes as they both devour their meals. Poor man.
I appreciate this reappraisal of Goya's black paintings. I'm so accustomed to the painting being called Saturn Eating His Son that it never occurred to me that we just don't know what he actually intended to depict.
I had seen that painting used to depict Tarrare so often I didn't even realize its origin.
@@misopeachy I've never seen that used to depict Tararre but that's fucking hilarious lmfao
Welp i looked
No, bad
Yes, good
hmm, neutral
You've probably seen them before without knowing. I've seen all these paintings before in some rock music videos of the 80s and 90s. Bob Dylan specifically had a music video for the song Joker Man that shows all these paintings. Some of them using CGI to animate them.
Same
Gonna watch this asap just in case youtube wants to delete this one as well
F this platform. Pretty much all I can say without YT censoring me completely.
literally the exact same thought process
@@RockyMtnFuzzsurprised that didn’t get deleted
Why? Did they delete something else?
@@NSJ09 the Lenin video was taken off by ytb because of bs copyright issues regarding a 2 seconds clip
As someone from Spain, Goya's paintings are probably what made me feel I understood more the history of my country in the early 19th century. I can't really know, but they seem to me that they portray it better than anything else I've seen. His royal portraits, his rural themes, the war paintings and of course the black paintings. It's like what Les Miserables means for France but in a visual form. Like most geniuses, he anticipated future movements like expressionism and even abstract art (I defend the idea that the portrait of the dog is pre-abstract). This country has always had very bad leaders but the painters were something else.
Its why as a Mexican i feel conflicted about Spanish heritage because the Spanish people throughout history have been just that, people, and that is in my blood, but governance is a different beast and that governance is what has led to a legacy of deeply entrenched social striation both in the former colonies and in Spain itself.
As someone said Spain is the strongest country in the world. Always to tries to destroy itself and always fail.
I’m obsessed with these paintings. I saw them in the Prado in Madrid and sat in front of the drowning dog for 2 hours.
The dog is also one of my favorite ones from his black paintings. You'll probably be interested to know that the painting was partially damaged in the process and some of the original features are missing. You can find that on its Spanish wikipedia article
What the hell did you think about for two hours staring at a dog painting?
@@PWizz91think about what the visual context suggests. it’s a dog buried to it’s head in sand. it’s a metaphor that could be applied to a whole hell of a lot of things.
Maybe it’s a just dog looking over a large tree stump. And the tree is just out of frame?
@@AlexHunter235Aren't you just the eternal optimist❤
14:37 I love your analysis but can''t help but giggle at the thought of having some unfinished painting on the wall, maybe even being in the process of painting it over, and 200 years later people be like "What was he thinking, what symbol is this half dog head? What horrors must have driven this man to such absurd statements"
Not only is an artist both sensitive and of keen insight per necessity of the craft, but when society demands only what is beautiful and pleasant leaving the remainder within the artist... where else are they to paint it but on their walls?
Idk they could probably just try poetry in yt comments instead
there are plenty of artists that are not sensitive or insightful. especially those who think artistry is a virtue in itself
The last minute of this video I cant unhear as a sort of self reflection of your own work.
You seem to observe the things, and the pain, that exist around you, with very much care yourself. Your work seems very honest to me, and even though you talk very little to none about the man behind the Horses channel, I feel like its painting a picture of you just as much as it depicts the art and the artists you show.
I feel like that's what art is meant for. Everyone perceives art not as the true intent or meaning the artist wanted to give their work (unless they're just explaining what the artist themself said about their work, which is impossible in this case) but as what meaning the one viewing the artwork perceives and the feeling they get from it based on their own experiences and point of view. No artist can control what people take away from the art, so a work of art, when viewed by an audience, ends up becoming more of a depiction of the people who interpret it than the artist themself. That isn't to say what the artist intended or the context in which a work of art is made isn't important, but moreso that since art is subjective, its impact on the consumer is more important than the art itself, let alone the artist who made it. So when someone critiques a work of art, that critique ends up teaching us more about the critic than the artist, in a way.
Or at least that's how I see it as an aspiring artist. Since art is inherently subjective, so is my opinion on it :3
(Edit: also sorry if I made any mistakes while writing this. English isn't my first language ^^")
@@vinkei4521 i guess one could say art is ones perception of life, brought to paper.. or video in this case :)
Man what an odd day. I woke and thought "I haven't seen a Horses video in a while" looked up your channel, saw and bought the Goya shirt, and then you drop a new video. It's a good day.
I woke up and thought "I wish I could depict the horrors in my mind as well as Goya or Francis Bacon"
Glabglogabgalab
@@GrinninPigmind yeast.
@@bloodsweatandbeers4684 same >:(
This has to be one of my most favourite videos from you. The idea that artists are particularly sensitive to the world honestly shook me, as an artist it really did make me feel connected to a man I've never met before. It's a bit weird to expression but I really felt seen here, my emotions and outlook on life are similar to Goya in a lot of ways, feeling more than I should for things, it's labelled me as too sensitive at times, so to see this and hear it out loud has me feel relief. You took great care in portraying Goya, it felt as if I was also being represented in turn, especially when it came to his pain, it felt like my pain too.
I can't thank you enough for making this video.
Funny, I never thought of Saturn's expression as being afraid or surprised. I mainly thought it was an expression of him preparing to take another bite, the eyes just seemed to me empty, like a beast that is just eating. Excellent video!
I wrote about Goya in highschool and that turned into an obsession for a long time. All of the art in my house is done by him. Im not even an art guy but some of his work really spoke to me and he was very interesting. Great video.
I was just assigned a flim project and the first thing i thought of was your art style. I really have a hard time admitting something or someone had an influence on anything i do but. I will say you're channel has really helped me with opening my eyes I really just wanted to say thank you for creating this Channel and continuing to put out content.
Remember great artists really do steal. Just make it your own after you grab it.
I had the same feeling of not wanting to recognize my inspirations, but then I realized that everyone likes to see the genealogy of stuff, and that if you steal in good faith it does not take alot to make something your own.
Same, and while I recognize my own hubris, it is incredibly rare to find this sort of commentary taken out of the ivory tower & transformed into something interesting. I am just now realizing how much this channel has inspired me in creating, I kid you not, k-12 history teaching resources. I can’t use such dramatic themes but I’m finding darker stories with very relevant themes, things that allow kids to understand the place they live, and to express their dark feelings about it. IMO, part of suicide prevention is giving indigenous kids tools to process a very specific trauma and giving all kids ways to understand and talk about the terrible forces of history that led to their present. Poverty and isolation are common here, at least in the parts of Montana I work with. But the rich Montanans are just awful lol…
I saw them at the museum this past summer and it was such an overwhelming experience. I spent around an hour going from painting to painting and taking in the details and I felt desperations and desolation grow in me. I have never felt so lonely in a room full of people.
It's a good morning with Horses! Thank you so much for your work friend! I will always support your channel.
insane person here . i appreciate you stating that assuming madness in cases like this is doing a disservice to understanding humanity . it's important to look at people who struggle with mental illness as human beings with their own likes , dislikes , desires , and aversions .
i would argue that you can be just as insane and draw hello kitty , as someone else who's drawing war crimes .
like that's still a person , theyre just having a hard time .
if theyre making vent art it doesnt make them more or less sane .
How true!
As a woman, a woman painting with her own period blood is where I draw the line of insanity paintings.
It’s also astounding that it never seems to be brought up that paint solvents have been historically toxic and poisonous to blood and brains. In fact, it causes depression and dementia.
Amazing perspective thank you for sharing
I draw the line on when women artist use their own period blood. As a woman, it makes me nauseous.
I think what makes a great artist is the one who's being honest about his/her feelings to world and not someone who's trying to get everyone's attention.
he became known and made his money by painting for people who stood directly against his beliefs and later used his painting for attention to spread is ideas of war being unjust
man, i found this channel a few months ago and i tear up at almost every essay. beautifully written and with a optimistic yet burdening tone that strikes very near to heart. this channel genuinely been legitimately impactful please don’t stop what your doing. much love from washington state
17:00 i’d like to also point out that he painted with a LOT of lead white that he even ground himself. he used it as a gesso, or paint primer.
Your videos are artistry. Your narration style is refreshing, incredibly articulate and genuinely keeps me hooked.
After absorbing so much useless content from UA-cam, I’m thrilled that I’ve found a channel that not only profoundly educates me, but challenges me and the philosophies I hold.
Thank you Horses.
I love your outlook on things. You are very compassionate towards the subjects you discuss on your channel.
Saturn devouring his son is legit my favorite artwork so when I saw the thumbnail I immediately clicked
Me too T_T I loved it from the moment I saw it!! It has always filled me with so much dread in an amazing way.
There are video essays and there are horse videos.
Keep it up man.
had some kind of mind shift over the course of 24 minutes. i empathize with Goya, i understand the feeling of utter disappointment for the world. he didn’t fall into madness, he wanted to express himself, to portray his anger towards the horrible broken system that people were forced to just accept. i myself feel less lonely looking into his work, in a way.
thank you Horses for this video.
I genuinely do not understand how your content slaps so hard every time like you always make the perfect video with the perfect voiceover and perfect visuals for the perfect subject
I have never, in my several years on this platform, had to just sit and absorb a video after watching it. I usually think, "Oh, that's pretty cool," then go on to the next one. After this video, however, I felt the need to sit and reflect.
I think the part of this that cut the deepest was hearing about Goya's struggles with the medical system. I have chronic pain and some health conditions that are exacerbated by my mental health, and I am also an artist (a musician). While fighting tooth and nail to get care and to get diagnoses, I have produced some of my most meaningful art. This art hasn't seen the light of day, however.
I teach music, so most music I learn is not for myself. When I learn and write music, I feel it so deeply and so vividly that it is often hard to perform for others. It isn't stagefright, but rather the fear that I will come off too strongly. Knowing that Goya may have felt the same about his art, hoping some of it would never be seen by the countless eyes watching him, puts many of my artistic endeavors into perspective. It reminds me that it is not selfish to want to create for yourself. It is often seen as a social "obligation" to parade your art around for others, even if you don't necessarily want to. Only the most seasoned performers finally discover the magic of private creation. To be completely alone with your true thoughts -- not just the ones you think others will be okay hearing -- is both a horrifying and extremely freeing experience. It helps us to make sense of things, and in Goya's case, I believe he was seeking to understand himself and the world around him. I relate to this feeling, especially as someone with chronic health conditions. It can often seem like the world is moving at a completely different pace than you are, and it can be so confusing and discouraging to see other people seemingly "fine" and "fully functional". The frustration will likely never fully go away, but I find art helps me make sense of it and sort out a lot of my thoughts.
Thank you for this wonderful dive into the Black Paintings. When I first saw these paintings in an art history class in college, they each sparked an intense emotional reaction. I felt horrified seeing Saturn devouring his son. I felt a deep unsettling dread seeing the circle of witches around the devil. I felt pangs of sadness and hopelessness for the dog drowning in what I thought was a river of sand. These paintings have been some of my favorites since the moment I saw them, even without any added context. Art is usually said to be something that sparks an emotion, and personally, these are the closest things I can find to fit that definition. I'm sure Goya felt the effects of this art as he was creating it, and I'm sure that compelled him to keep going.
I live in Zaragoza, now whenever im on train and i hear "Estation Goya" its gonna have more meaning.
It's actually written "Estación Goya" (Spanish is my first language) though I understand it's easy to mix up words that are similar in another language with how you write them in your first language (god knows it's happened to me a lot when I was learning English lol)
@@vinkei4521 lol, thank you. It was actually my first language but I forgot it growing up in another country now I'm re-learning.
Was watching a video by blind dweller about these paintings earlier. Excited for this one.
14:18, maybe I'm seeing things but to me it looks like there's a woman bent over screaming at the dog. She's the darker part of the sky right above the wave.
I had the privilege of seeing the Black Paintings in person, in the Prado Museum in Madrid. The atmosphere in that room was palpable. There were two or three I actually backed away from and felt the need to circle back around to rather than lingering too long. They were the first paintings I saw on that trip through the museum that distinctly made me wonder: What the hell was the artist feeling when they created this? What compelled them to pain these on his walls?
The paintings come back to haunt me all the time, in my mind. Thank you for this video! Such great work, as always.
I'm glad people are still talking about Goya. I'm Spanish and I also create art for a living. Despite not living in the same conditions he did, I can understand how he felt about the world. Being a sensitive person is hard, and art was his way to express his pain and disagreement with the world. I use art the same way sometimes.
You're gonna be huge, man. I found you a couple weeks ago and I've already watched every single video of yours. You're doing so much right- from composition and objective viewpoints, to well designed merch. You check all my boxes, and I look forward to seeing you progress. P.S. Please resupply merch.
I took a tour in an art museum in Spain back when I was a senior in high school, and the tour guide told us and showed us the Black Paintings and I havent been the same since. Francisco de Goya has never left my mind since.
God, I love how beautifully you write and narrate these videos. Particularly the art-focused ones. They're just outstanding quality and so enjoyable and informative.
Hi Horses, I've been subscribed to your wonderful channel since earlier this year when I curiously clicked on your video about the ethical implications of rich people slumming it and posting it on social media for clicks which I found insightful and fascinating.
I've been following your channel ever since because I love your video essays, I especially liked the one on Van Gogh and the Troubles.
As a Spaniard I was pleasantly surprised to find that you chose one of my country's most famous painters as the video's subject. I'm familiar with Goya's Disasters of War but was unaware of his black paintings up until now, you really seem to understand what was afflicting Goya much like you did with Van Gogh, I consider myself a sensitive soul and relate greatly to their weltschmerz, you don't know how glad I am that someone else gets it too.
I want you to know that your work is appreciated, thank you for making high-minded and intelligent content on UA-cam, it's a welcome breath of fresh air from all the algorithm-driven clickbait that infests the site.
As a person with a bachelors in art history I absolutely love this way of explaining the great art. Neithe the historical, nor the psychological aspects alone are valid for the translation, maybe it is even unnecessary, because the connection to the emotion of the artist reigns supreme. Thank you so much for this. It's as if all of the jumbled words in my head were strung into a proper string
A fantastic empathetic video about one of my favorite artists. Thank you.
The effort toward compassion was a complete success here. Thank you.
One of the only channels that keeps me on watching YT. Every video is a gem. Keep up the good work bud!
7:03 That’s not fear. That’s manic.
Consistently the most tasteful and humane channel on YT
I feel bittersweet that he was out of stock of those Goya Tees. Sad I couldn't snag one, delighted the community has created so much support
posting this mainly for algorithm boost but, these videos always hit the spot - scratches the itch everytime i get the chance to view. thank you michael horses.
Nice to find someone who still make good video essays :)
Incredible analysis, I am grateful someone is producing content in the modern world that demonstrates what I consider to be strikingly original, like your self. So thank you my friend
Siater Wendy Beckett, when talking about Goya's Black Paintings, said in a hushed, slightly horrified tone, that he didn't just paint these paintings, he LIVED with them. Never forgot that.
Your insightful take on Goya's work makes this, in my view, your best video.
Thank you
I enjoyed this video. Although I'm familiar with works of Dali and Picasso I never knew much at all about Goya and his life, art, and times that he lived in. Thanks.
Among Spanish painters, I honestly much prefer Velazquez and Goya over Dali and Picasso. I respect them, but the old masters are better imo
I really love your art analysis essays! Thank you for another excellent subject. Having seen Goya's work while in Spain, it's definitely magnetic to look at, and often a little unsettling.
Love these paintings. So happy to have a horse video on them
I see
As a person living in Spain, we learn about Goya and study some of his paintings. I've visited the Museo del Prado several times and it was incredible seeing the collection of the black paintings because of the image I had of him. It subsequently made me interested on his work and exposed this truly unknown and hided phase of Goya to my fellow students and how it's present in a lot of the work we studied. Needless to say they were as fascinated as I firstly was.
You inspired me finding my own creative style of videos. I just started making and uploading them and the process makes me happy rather than being tired.
Got to see these in person in April. So intense. Favorite paintings of all time and it was so incredible seeing his mental dissension in paintings. These paintings are in a room by themselves at the end of a hall in the Prado and there’s a palpable air of unease.
Just dropped right when i needed something to watch
one of my favorite pieces of art, thank you for showcasing for a larger audience! I need to make a trip to Madrid to experience these in person.
Hello, Michael, I found your UA-cam channel some days ago, and I'm mesmerized by the quality and passion you put into these essays and videos. It would be great if more speakers of my native language (Portuguese, Brazil) could watch your content. I have no doubt they would benefit from it as I do, but turns out that a very small percentage of my people have the privilege of learning a different language. Would you be interested in having a subtitles translator? If so, is there any other way of contacting you or your team? I'd be glad to help bring your content to more people. Anyways, keep up with the amazing content, Horses is one of the nicest gems that I found on this platform so far :)
I’ve seen Goyas work in person in the ‘Museo Nacional del Prado’ and in the ‘black room’ there was just a still, gloomy energy over the whole room that gave me absolute chills.
Yard of Lunatics is such an insane painting, it really forshadows the mental deterioration of this amazing artist
I agree. I would love to view it with my own eyes. I read it's housed at the Meadows Museum in Dallas after the owner donated it in '67.
That's a crass reading of the man and the painting
I am an art graduate and I swear your videos are more interesting and deep than any of my classes were 😭🙏 please never stop ❤
babe wake up
new horses video just dropped
Was just about to comment the exact same thing
Beautifully worded tribute, and wonderfully crafted video. Definitely thought-provoking.
And Goya says, "I'm miserable, take a look. I think you should be too."
I am so glad I found this channel. Your videos are such a nice relief from the craziness of life
I can’t FUCKING escape Saturn devouring his son! It’s everywhere! Even if you look up Wendigo! He haunts me! He haunts me in person,online,and in my DREAMS! Send help!
Your analogy of the model plane is insightful and apt. I've always been drawn to Goya's works and this was a fine essay of his efforts and lifetime.
Thank you.
1:04 could have cut it there it’s cus he felt silly
19:17
this is a very interesting connection, and I think it might be because these people feel more of a need to express themselves
imagine if he was just tryna paint real women and you just insulted him from beyond the grave by calling them grotesque witches
What is tryna? Is that a name? Or is it trying to? So confused with this murder of thr English language especially when the rest of the question has all the correct words?
@@JoHnAnDjAnEdOe81 consider it a modern conjunction of "trying to". I do not care for most slang but some are helpful for typing faster.
@@JoHnAnDjAnEdOe81 Criticizing someone’s English while having a typo and butchering it yourself is pathetic.
@@fryingpantothefacestudios6665 fax. he thinks hes some snobby brattish richboy or something. he aint special. I hate people like this who try to act like they're better than everyone.
@@JoHnAnDjAnEdOe81 English is like any language. It is used by real people with real lives and it is not the sole property of "Great Works" books. Anywhere in the world you will find slang because that is how language lives. Language is not only literature. Language is about where you and your people are living. You would make a fool of yourself speaking like a Londoner if you were from the US. Don't be so protective of English, something you cannot claim.
Your work provokes thoughts and emotions, and makes me want to both quietly contemplate things and reach out to others.
Sick.. any plans to make any more of the Goya t-shirts?
I like his black paintings. The darker the art the more I find it intriguing.
... And @horse always describes stories like this with so much complexity and forward perspective.
I knew about the black paintings before but you certainly gave a new perspective of it. Good job.
@10:00 he painted Elvira
Truly a visionary mind
This channel deserves so much attention
Goya raging against the machine
The black paintings are a fascinating collection. Thank you for covering it with such detail.
i see horses, i click
Big shouts out to my man Horses, thank God somebody takes the time to actually add to a subject rather than paraphrase everything everyone else said already!
Interesting and fresh take on a very powerful set
Might be pessimistic about this, but I think more people SHOULD see these paintings, and works of similar nature.
From my personal experiences, way too many people are…delusional optimistics.
Nothing wrong with genuine optimism, but simply blindly believing in only seeing the good, to the point where they actively avoid anything negative, has been a huge detrimental effect on the environment around them.
What a fascinating channel. Been watching you pick up on subs really fast. Im glad this channel is getting its well deserved recognition
THERES NOT A SINGLE HORSE IN THIS VIDEO
False advertising
I want my money back
There is at 21:50 :)
It’s funny,I also have fond memories of my grandfather building model airplanes when i was a child. That display of care and respect for the craft is one of the things that I believe made me enjoy art.
0:43 Imo in today's world, he would have been precluded from painting these, and manipulated into painting happy faces.
Preordered the Goya shirt and thought at the time a video on him would be awesome. Here we go!
no veiws in the first 40 seconds bro fell off
He should just give up. 😂
Seeing this mindless comment on literally every video on UA-cam is draining me
P.S.
I, in no way, believe he should give up. I love this channel. I watch it often.
That was just a joke.
The work you put into your videos is commendable, thank you for making such high quality videos
I was first introduced to Goya's works by his painting Still Life with Golden Bream. I had to pick a painting to analyze that spoke out to me, and I couldn't get it out of my head.
In interpreting the painting and researching Goya, I came to understand his position and views on the depravity of war. He experienced and witnessed so much suffering in his life, balancing his views with his ability to support himself, and when I see the black paintings my heart hurts for all he'd been through. All because a painting of a pile of dead fish spoke to me more than anything else in the museum.
4:12, with the corpse holding the sign that reads, "Nada," is the most metal thing I've seen all day
pretty sure the dog at 14:29 is just his pupper poking his head above the side of his desk to say hello every now and then
I would’ve gladly listen to your take of one of Goyas finest from that period “The Colossus” but anyway, great stuff as usual. Keep on going man!
My favourite channel making a video about my favourite artist? You read my mind sir
Really cool video essay.
I got to see these in person a couple years ago. Like many people I grew up with these haunting images. I am not crazy about the process in which they were removed form his house walls and "reconstructed". That is mentioned briefly at the end of this video but it is a really big deal how much they changed in the move. People ask "what would you do with a time machine" ... well, I'd rake a super high resolution camera back to capture these as they were. Of course asking Goya about them would be even better.