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A colossal mistake? Art world baffled by 'Goya' masterpiece
timesonline.co.uk ^ | Jan. 28, 2009 | Graham Keeley

Posted on 01/27/2009 5:49:26 PM PST by Free ThinkerNY

For almost 80 years it has been regarded as one of Francisco de Goya’s towering glories. But yesterday it was revealed that The Colossus was not painted by the Spanish master at all, but by an understudy.

After a seven-month investigation, experts at the Prado gallery in Madrid came to the reluctant conclusion that the masterpiece was probably the work of Asensio Juliá, one of Goya’s assistants. They said that the painting, which has hung in the Prado for 78 years, was “Goyaesque but not by Goya”.

Manuela Mena Marqués, head of 18th-century art at the Prado, said: “Seen with adequate light, the poor technique used in its light and colour becomes manifest, as does a marked difference between The Colossus and other masterpieces attributed to Goya.”

Doubts have surrounded the painting for years, with a series of experts claiming that Goya never painted what has long been regarded as one of his most famous works. Experts at the Prado started an investigation last year when José Luis DÍez, the gallery’s curator of 19th-century art, suggested that The Colossus was the work of Juliá after a detailed analysis of the picture. He based his claims on the discovery of the initials A. J. in one corner of the canvas.

(Excerpt) Read more at entertainment.timesonline.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Arts/Photography
KEYWORDS: godsgravesglyphs

1 posted on 01/27/2009 5:49:26 PM PST by Free ThinkerNY
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To: Free ThinkerNY

Maybe he just had a bad day at the office.


2 posted on 01/27/2009 5:51:44 PM PST by TomServo
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To: Free ThinkerNY

I’ve never thought of that as one of Goya’s great masterpieces...might just be me though.


3 posted on 01/27/2009 5:53:23 PM PST by arderkrag (Liberty Walking (www.geocities.com/arderkrag))
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To: Free ThinkerNY
Just google.com Asensio Juliá, then hit "images" and you will see a whole bunch of other paintings by Asensio along with the one in question.

Pretty obviously Asensio's work and not Goya's. Even the same model used in other of his works.

4 posted on 01/27/2009 5:54:52 PM PST by muawiyah
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To: TomServo
Maybe he just had a bad day at the office.

LOL! That was my exact thought while reading this! I am a great cook, but there have been a couple dishes that for whatever reason, just did not work out. Nobody's perfect...

5 posted on 01/27/2009 5:56:02 PM PST by meowmeow (In Loving Memory of Our Dear Viking Kitty (1987-2006))
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To: Free ThinkerNY
the discovery of the initials A. J. in one corner of the canvas.

Well, yes, that would be a little hard to explain if the picture was by Francisco de Goya . . .

6 posted on 01/27/2009 6:01:58 PM PST by GovernmentShrinker
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To: Free ThinkerNY
That's it? Pretty awful, but I am not crazy about the real Goyas.
7 posted on 01/27/2009 6:06:38 PM PST by Ditter
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To: Ditter

“Pretty awful, but I am not crazy about the real Goyas.”


What I find curious is that some art doesn’t stand on its own. It is worthwhile for who painted it.

Equations in math stand on their own. Paintings have a hard time though sometimes.


8 posted on 01/27/2009 6:21:34 PM PST by GreyMountainReagan (Liberals do not view the book 1984 as a warning but as a guideline.)
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To: Free ThinkerNY

Yes, unemployed Americans really give a $hit about this sort of news...


9 posted on 01/27/2009 6:23:12 PM PST by pabianice
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To: pabianice

“Yes, unemployed Americans really give a $hit about this sort of news...”


Employeed ones either.


10 posted on 01/27/2009 6:49:50 PM PST by GreyMountainReagan (Liberals do not view the book 1984 as a warning but as a guideline.)
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To: Free ThinkerNY
Experts at the Prado started an investigation last year when José Luis DÍez, the gallery’s curator of 19th-century art, suggested that The Colossus was the work of Juliá after a detailed analysis of the picture. He based his claims on the discovery of the initials A. J. in one corner of the canvas.

Nobody ever noticed the frickin' initials? That's pretty funny.

11 posted on 01/27/2009 7:01:42 PM PST by snarks_when_bored
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To: Free ThinkerNY

So, something that yesterday was considered a masterpiece become a worthless piece of junk art. So goes the art world.


12 posted on 01/27/2009 7:42:45 PM PST by yazoo
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To: Free ThinkerNY

Kind of looks like Iron Man


13 posted on 01/27/2009 7:45:03 PM PST by HereInTheHeartland (I can't wait for January 20, 2013")
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To: SunkenCiv
Art history ping.
14 posted on 01/27/2009 8:08:08 PM PST by kitchen (Any day without a fair tax thread is a good day.)
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To: GreyMountainReagan

I AM an artist, I don’t think everything I paint is worth while or worth saving. My math on the other hand is never worth saving.


15 posted on 01/27/2009 8:25:17 PM PST by Ditter
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To: kitchen; nickcarraway

· join list or digest · view topics · view or post blog · bookmark · post a topic ·

 
Gods
Graves
Glyphs
Thanks kitchen.

Just adding to the catalog, not sending a general distribution.

To all -- please ping me to other topics which are appropriate for the GGG list.
GGG managers are SunkenCiv, StayAt HomeMother, and Ernest_at_the_Beach
 

· Google · Archaeologica · ArchaeoBlog · Archaeology · Biblical Archaeology Society ·
· Discover · Nat Geographic · Texas AM Anthro News · Yahoo Anthro & Archaeo ·
· The Archaeology Channel · Excerpt, or Link only? · cgk's list of ping lists ·


16 posted on 01/28/2009 5:45:43 PM PST by SunkenCiv (https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/____________________ Profile updated Monday, January 12, 2009)
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