The Parasol facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Parasol |
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| Spanish: El Quitasol | |
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| Artist | Goya |
| Year | c. 1777 |
| Type | Oil on linen |
| Dimensions | 104 cm × 152 cm (403⁄4 in × 591⁄4 in) |
| Location | Museo del Prado, Madrid |
The Parasol (also known as El Quitasol) is a famous painting by Francisco Goya. It's one of many oil paintings he made to be turned into tapestries. These tapestries were special wall hangings for the Royal Palace of El Pardo in Madrid, Spain.
The paintings showed peaceful scenes from everyday life. They were meant to make the dining room of Prince and Princess of Asturias look cheerful. These royals later became King Charles IV and Maria Luisa of Parma. The queen asked Goya to create happy scenes, and The Parasol was one of his answers. Today, you can see this painting at the Museo del Prado in Madrid. Another painting from the same series, Blind man's bluff, is also there.
What the Painting Shows
In his art, Goya often mixed French and Spanish styles. In The Parasol, a young woman sits on the ground. She might be resting after a long walk. She wears French-style clothes, which were popular at the time. She holds a fan in her right hand, and a small dog rests in her lap.
A young man stands nearby, holding a parasol to shade the woman's face. He is dressed in the majo style. This means he looks like a common person from that time. His hair is tied in a net, and his belt is made of colorful silk.
In the background, you can see dark clouds in the sky. The trees are swaying in the wind. This might mean a storm is coming. The painting feels warm and calm, but the windy trees add a bit of drama. The way the boy stands, with one foot on a rock, makes him look like he's bravely protecting the woman from the sun and the possible storm.
How Goya's Art Grew
From 1775 to 1792, Goya created designs for tapestries. This was his first type of painting and a very important time for him as an artist. Painting these tapestries helped Goya become very good at watching how people act. This skill was useful for his later paintings.
Goya was influenced by a style called neoclassicism. This style was becoming more popular than the older rococo style. The Parasol is seen as a classic painting because it shows a scene from everyday life. Around this time, Goya also started painting portraits for many Spanish royals. This was his first big success, and it changed his career. He was later chosen to join the Royal Academy of San Fernando in 1780. He became a painter for the king in 1786 and a court painter in 1789.
See also
In Spanish: El quitasol para niños
- The Boar Hunt, another early tapestry design by Goya
- List of Francisco Goya's tapestry cartoons
- List of works by Francisco Goya
