Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes of Spain was a very famous 18th century painter and printmaker. His immense popularity is attributed to his European style of painting, gaining the appreciation of European kings and queens. Goya’s “Parasol” or “El Quitasol”, painted in 1777, is by far his most successful painting. Most of his paintings focused on women, including this one. Goya created “La Sombrilla” when the Princes of Asturias called him to Madrid to paint cartoons for the tapestry in their dining room at the Royal Palace of El Pardo in Madrid. A copy of “The Umbrella” was woven into wool to hang in the palace.
Measuring 104cm x 152cm, this oil on linen painting is known for its brilliant combination of colors and brilliance. “La Parasol” or “El Quitasol” represents a beautiful young woman sitting on a mound with a fan folded in her right hand. Dressed in the French style of the day, she wears a bright yellow skirt with a fur-lined blue blouse and a dark brown shawl. A red scarf adorns her head. On her lap, a black and white puppy rests. Next to her, there is a young man dressed in the Majo or Maja style. He wears a brown coat with a light red vest. He holds a bright green ‘parasol’ (umbrella) just above the woman’s face. The man’s left arm is bent to rest on his waist. The folded fan, the ‘umbrella’ and the puppy suggest that the woman follows French fashion and belongs to a royal family, which creates an air of vanity in her. In the background, the leafy branches of a tall tree, leaning in front of the two human figures, represent a windy climate. Towards the right side of the damsel there is a high stone wall. Therefore, Goya has deliberately placed all the bright colors, such as green, blue, red and yellow in the center of the image to create a cheerful effect, which exactly fulfilled the wishes of the royal family. The coquettish smile of the protagonist together with her direct gaze adds to the liveliness of the painting and gives it a classic touch.
Francisco’s paintings were always appreciated for their effect of light and shadow. His creation of light on canvas was superb and this helped him capture a warm and welcoming atmosphere in his paintings. In “El parasol” or “El Quitasol”, he has also used white paint with lead to create lines of shine and shadow. The elegance and beauty of this painting, bathed in ‘Classicism’, has always had people flocking to admire it at the Prado Museum in Madrid, where it is currently exhibited.