Artwork
The Hanged Monk
The Hanged Monk is an oil painting by the Romanticist artist Francisco Goya. It dates from 1810 and is held in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago.
About this work
Overview
The Hanged Monk is an oil on panel painting created by Francisco de Goya around 1810. It is now held at the Art Institute of Chicago.
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts a monk suspended upside-down from a rope tied around his ankles. The figure's face is obscured by shadow, while his body is illuminated against a dark background. The monk's circumstances are ambiguous, leaving interpretation open.
Technique & Style
Goya employed chiaroscuro, a technique using strong contrasts between light and dark, to create a dramatic effect. The monk's body glows against the dark surroundings, heightening the sense of tension.
Context
The painting was created during the tumultuous period of Spain's war with France, a conflict marked by violence and upheaval. This historical context may have influenced Goya's work, although the specific inspiration remains unclear.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes (; Spanish: ; 30 March 1746 – 16 April 1828) was a Spanish romantic painter and printmaker.
Friar Pedro Binds El Maragato with a Rope
El exorcismo
Scene of Disciplines
Disparate conocido (Well-Known Folly)
Disparate conocido (Well-Known Folly)
Inside Church
Disparate furioso (Furious Folly)
Fuerte cosa es! (That's Tough!)
The Third of May 1808
War Scene
The Proverbs: Two Heads are Better than One or Poor Folly
The Hanged Monk