Francisco Goya black paintings. Dark pictures

In 1823, Goya's house, along with wall paintings, became the property of his grandson Mariano Goya, most likely in this way Goya tried to save his property from possible confiscation after the restoration of absolute monarchy and repression by Ferdinand VII. Within 50 years of its creation Dark pictures were unknown to the general public (with the exception of a few specialists, as described by Charles Iriarte). In 1874 Salvador Martinez Cubells (Spanish) Russian at the request of the French banker Frederic Emile d "Erlanger (English) Russian began the transfer of paintings from plaster to canvas. This process took several years. D'Erlanger intended to sell the paintings at the World Exhibition in Paris, but in 1881 he donated them to the Prado Museum, where they are exhibited in our time.

"Dark Pictures" and their history

In February 1819, Goya purchased an estate on the banks of the Manzanares River, not far from the Segovia Bridge. (Spanish) Russian , overlooking the meadows of San Isidro. He hoped that he could live there with Leocardia Weiss, without attracting attention and avoiding gossip, since she was married to the merchant Isidoro Weiss. Leocardia, probably from a connection with the artist, had a daughter, Rosarita. Between February and November 1819, before Goya becomes seriously ill - this is evidenced by the painting Goya is treated by Dr. Arrieta (Spanish) Russian(1820) - the artist begins to paint the walls of his house. It is well known that Dark pictures were written on top of earlier images that Goya used as a basis, such as for Duel with clubs (Spanish) Russian.

If the original paintings were similar in their carefree mood to the works of the Aragonese period, then it can be assumed that Goya's decision to paint over them was influenced by bouts of illness, perhaps along with the turbulent events of the Liberal Triennium. bosal (Spanish) Russian I am inclined to believe that the paintings originally painted are by Goya, and he used his materials a second time; however Glendinning (Spanish) Russian suggests that the paintings "already adorned the walls of Quinta del Sordo when the estate was acquired". In any case, Goya could work on paintings in his villa starting in 1820. Completion of the work cannot be dated after 1823, as at this time Goya moves to Bordeaux and leaves the estate to his grandson Mariano, possibly fearing reprisals from the authorities after the fall of Riego. In 1830, Mariano de Goya transferred his property to his father, Javier de Goya.

There was a theory that attributed the creation Of gloomy pictures Javier de Goya (son of the artist); however, Bosal and Glendinning, the largest researchers of Goya's work, rejected this theory. It is hard to imagine that such an unusual fact would not be known to contemporaries. The drawing technique, the quality of the stroke, the grotesque depiction of people, the obsessive themes that are also present in previous and subsequent works, make the attribution of authorship to Javier de Goya unreasonable.

Antonio Brugada pointed to the presence of seven paintings on the first floor and eight on the second, but subsequently only fourteen got into the Prado Museum. Charles Iriarte, who later visited the farm, also describes the paintings that are known today and indicates that a large piece was torn from the wall. Many art historians believe, based on the similarity of style and subject matter, that the fifteenth painting is Heads in the landscape(New York, Stanley Moss Collection).

Another unresolved issue is the original location of the painting. Two old men eating soup (Spanish) Russian, about which it is not known whether it hung on the first or second floor. Without this detail, the original placement of the paintings in Quinto del Sordo was as follows:

• First floor: It was a large rectangular room. The long walls had two windows next to the short walls. On them hung two large paintings: Festival in San Isidro (Spanish) Russian to the right as viewed from the front door, and Coven (Spanish) Russian left. On the far short wall, opposite the entrance in the center, there was a large window, to the right of it was Judith and Holofernes (Spanish) Russian, and on the left Saturn devouring his son (Spanish) Russian. hung near the door Dona Leocardia Zorilla (Spanish) Russian(against Saturn) And Two old men (Spanish) Russian or old man and monk against Judith.
• Second floor: The room had the same dimensions as on the ground floor, but on the long walls there was one window in the center, each of which surrounded one picture on the right and left. On the right side closer to the entrance was Fantastic visions or Asmodeus (Spanish) Russian And (Spanish) Russian away from the entrance. On the left side were respectively Atropos or destiny (Spanish) Russian And Duel on clubs (Spanish) Russian. On the far short side were Laughing women (Spanish) Russian right and Reading men (Spanish) Russian left. On the wall closest to the entrance on the right was "Dog", and on the left is another picture, presumably "Heads in a Landscape".

There is a widespread view among art critics that Dark pictures were created by Goya in a state of psychological and social pressure. One of the most important factors was the artist's awareness of the decline in physical strength, which he could not help but feel while living with Leocardia Weiss, a woman who was much younger than him, and also due to a serious illness in 1819, when he was dying, which was reflected in colors and subject matter.

On the other hand, Goya painted these paintings in the 1820s (which, however, there is no documentary evidence), and by this time he had already recovered from his illness. Satirical depiction of religious scenes (pilgrimages, processions, inquisition) or civil unrest (e.g. in Duel with clubs or in a supposed representation of a meeting or conspiracy in Reading men; there is also a political interpretation of the plot Saturn: the state devours its subjects) is consistent with the political instability in Spain after the military, led by Riego, demanded that the king comply with the constitution of 1812. The period 1820-1823 chronologically coincides with the completion of the work. Apparently, the themes and palette of paintings became possible in the absence of political censorship during the restoration of the absolute monarchy. On the other hand, many characters Of gloomy pictures(duelists, monks and nuns, inquisitors) represent the old order that existed before the ideals of the French Revolution.

Notes

I mentally hung a sign on the magazine “I went to the gym, I won’t be back soon,” but recent impressions are obtrusively reminding me of myself. To express means to calm down)
In the Prado, I had two halls that were diametrically opposed in their impact. In one I wanted to stay for a long time, but it was impossible due to time constraints. From the other, about which we are talking here, having made a circle, they immediately left - an oppressive atmosphere. This is the hall in which the "black painting" of Francisco de Goya is collected. Even though there was normal lighting and I'm not hypersensitive, individually familiar pictures, put together, leave a depressing impression.

Goya was an excellent portrait painter, he served as a court painter. Among his works are colorful pastoral scenes and sketches for tapestries. A series of "black painting" is not typical for him. In the museum I bought a thick "Guide to the Prado" in Russian, published by the museum's specialists, with many reproductions and stories about the artist and paintings. About "black painting" further taken from there.

In 1819, Goya buys the "House of the Deaf" - a country house with an estate on the outskirts of Madrid. Shortly after moving to this house, the artist became seriously ill. During his stay in this house, Goya painted the main halls of two floors. X-ray analysis showed that it is possible that the walls of the house were previously painted with landscapes in bright colors. On top of these drawings, Goya applied what is called "black painting". The themes of this cycle are evil, cruelty, ignorance and death. In 1823, Goya, moving to Bordeaux, gave the estate to his grandson. After a succession of owners, the estate was bought in 1873 by Baron Frederic Emil d'Erlanger, who ordered the then restorer of the Prado Museum to transfer the painting from the walls to canvas. And after the exhibition in 1878 in Paris, the paintings were donated to the Prado Museum. That is, what is exhibited in the Prado is a redrawing of what Goya painted on the walls.

Art historians are perplexed... Firstly, the order of arrangement of drawings on the walls of the house has not been preserved, which "complicates their interpretation." Secondly, when transferring to the canvas, inaccuracies were made. And now they are tormented by Goya's puzzles - and what did he mean by that) The venerable artist leaves the life of the capital, moves to the wilderness in the "House of the Deaf" (whose name alone is worth something), gets very sick and draws such ... Art historians probably should consult a psychoanalyst

Some African tribes have this kind of treatment. The shaman assigns the patient to carve human figures from ebony and sell them. And the disease will pass to the buyer. This I found out later. And we brought such figurines from Yemen. Beautiful, attracted the eye, but it was unpleasant for me to look at them. Then she begged her parents to throw them out and took them to the trash. It became cleaner) That's how I left the hall of "black painting")

Prado Museum: Goya and Lucientes, Francisco de -- Pilgrimage to St. Isidore
1820 - 1823, 138.5 cm x 436 cm.

Prado Museum: Goya and Lucientes, Francisco de -- The Witches' Sabbath
1820 - 1823, 140.5 cm x 435.7 cm.

Prado Museum: Goya and Lucientes, Francisco de -- Two old women eating soup
1821 - 1823, 49.3 cm x 83.4 cm, Revestimiento mural, Técnica mixta.

According to art historians, the old woman on the right is awaiting death

Prado Museum: Goya and Lucientes, Francisco de
Saturn devouring his child
1820 - 1823, 143.5 cm x 81.4 cm. Two women and a man 1820 - 1823, 125 cm x 66 cm.

Why Saturn, aka Kronos, ate his children - you can find out here
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9A%D1%80%D0%BE%D0%BD_(%D0%BC%D0%B8%D1%84%D0%BE%D0%BB% D0%BE%D0%B3%D0%B8%D1%8F)
In short - I was afraid of competitors) But I didn’t think about contraception

Prado Museum: Goya and Lucientes, Francisco de -- Reading or Politics
1820 - 1823, 126 cm x 66 cm.
I agree, politics is a dark matter)

I like to end on an optimistic note, we leave the hall for fresh air)

Me and Goya. Monument in front of the Prado. One of the few photos where Goya's head completely fit into the frame - Masha diligently focused on me))

Revolution, deafness, illicit love, hermitage: under what circumstances did Goya create an unusual cycle of paintings on the walls of his own house

Mobile photo studio of Jean Laurent. 1872 Photographer Laurent took the first pictures of the frescoes of the House of the Deaf. Archivo Ruiz Vernacci

In May 1814, Ferdinand VII, who had been in exile for several years, triumphantly returned to Spain. He abolished the Constitution of 1812, dissolved the Cortes and restored the power of the Spanish Bourbons. Many liberal-minded deputies and intellectuals were arrested, many were hanged or shot.

Goya was friendly with many "enlightened" liberals. Although the initial suspicions of Goya's collaboration with the French and the government of King José I were removed, Ferdinand VII hated him, and the artist's position remained vulnerable. Goya had to hide many of his paintings in the Academy of San Fernando, and he himself moved away from the court.

In February 1819, the 72-year-old artist bought a rural house and 22 acres of land in the suburbs of Madrid for 60 thousand reais, behind the bridge leading to Segovia, from the San Isidro meadow (today it is almost the center of the city), and lived as a hermit, accepting no one. By a strange coincidence, in a neighboring house there lived a man who, like Goya, was deaf Goya lost his hearing after a serious illness, which he suffered in 1792-1793. Presumably, it was lead poisoning (saturnism), but some researchers are inclined to the version of a severe stroke., so the locals called his dwelling "quinta del sordo" - "the house of the deaf." After Goya's death, his house began to be called that, which, unfortunately, has not been preserved. Today, in its place is a metro station, which bears the name of the artist - "Goya".

The artist settled there with his "housekeeper", and in fact his girlfriend and life partner of recent years, Leocadia Sorrilla Weiss. They met in the summer of 1805 at the wedding of Goya's son and, apparently, immediately became lovers. Their relationship did not stop even after in 1807 Leocadia married a certain businessman of German origin, born in Madrid. In 1812, her husband accused Leocadia of infidelity, they divorced, and in 1814 her daughter Rosario was born. The girl received the surname Weiss, although many believe that she was Goya's daughter: in any case, Goya treated her like a daughter until the end of his days, did a lot of painting and drawing with her (Rosario became an artist, after Goya's death she was even brought closer court and gave drawing lessons to Queen Isabella II).

Goya lived in the House of the Deaf as a hermit, did not receive anyone, as he was afraid of accusations from the Inquisition not only in liberal views, but also in immoral behavior. As it turned out 50 years later, he painted the walls of his house there: first he painted several extensive landscapes, and then, presumably, in the spring or summer of 1823, he plastered the walls over the old frescoes and painted 14 or 15 oil paintings on them, which later -she began to be called "black painting" (pinturas negras) for their gloomy coloring and plots reminiscent of nightmares. These works had no analogues in contemporary art. Some of them were written in religious terms, others in mythological subjects, such as "Saturn devouring his son." However, for the most part, these are tragic creations of the artist's imagination.

Francisco Goya. Coven. 1819–1823© Museo del Prado

Francisco Goya. Festival in San Isidro. 1819–1823© Museo del Prado

Francisco Goya. Asmodeus, or the Fantastic Vision. 1819–1823© Museo del Prado

Francisco Goya. Two old men are eating soup. 1819–1823© Museo del Prado

Francisco Goya. Duel on clubs. 1819–1823© Museo del Prado

Francisco Goya. Pilgrimage to the source of San Isidro. 1819–1823© Museo del Prado

Francisco Goya. Atrope. 1819–1823© Museo del Prado

In January 1820, General Riego raised an armed uprising in Cadiz, which became the beginning of the revolution. In 1822, Ferdinand VII recognized the Cadiz constitution. Spain again became a constitutional monarchy, but not for long: already on May 23, 1823, the king returned to Madrid along with the French army. The revolution was crushed, a reaction began in Spain; in November General Riego was executed.

Goya sympathized with the military united around Riego, and even made a miniature portrait of his wife. Goya's son Javier in 1823 was a member of the revolutionary militia. On March 19, 1823, Cardinal Louis Bourbon, the younger brother of King Charles III, who patronized Goya, died; the family of his other patron and matchmaker, businessman Martin Miguel de Goykoechea (Goya's son Javier was married to Goykoechea's daughter Gumersinda), was compromised. Goya was scared. Leocadia persuaded him to emigrate, but the flight threatened with confiscation of property.

In the main living room "of the lower floor - a rectangular hall elongated from the entrance into the depths - there were seven stylistically homogeneous compositions grouped into an integral ensemble. One (Iriarte called it, Two old women eating from a common dish") on the wall of the hall with an entrance door in the form of a desudeport (from the French dessus de porte, literally “above the door”) - a decorative composition located above the door. Six others filled all the piers: on the wall opposite the entrance there were vertical compositions separated by a window, Saturn devouring his children "(to the left of the window) and Judith cutting off the head of Holofernes" (to the right); on the left longitudinal wall, framed by two windows or two fireplaces, there is a frieze, the Sabbat of Witches, "and on the opposite, on the right wall, framed by two fireplaces or wardrobes, the frieze Pilgrimage to St. Isidore", an image of a folk festival held annually in Madrid on May 15; finally, on the wall at the entrance to the right of the door (next to the Sabbat "and against Saturn") - again a vertical painting, Leocadia", in other words, a portrait image of Leocadia Weiss, who became the mistress of the House of the Deaf, and on the left (next to, Pilgrimage" and against, Judith")-also vertical painting, Two old men". In a similar hall on the upper floor there were eight piers suitable for painting - here the longitudinal walls were divided in half by window and fireplace openings. However, Goya painted only seven of them. In the depths of the hall, on the end wall to the left and right of the window, there were vertical panels stylistically related to the painting of the lower floor, "Politicians" and "Two Laughing Women"; on the left longitudinal wall - "Bull Shepherds" and "Atropos", and on the right - "Walk of the Inquisition" and "Asmodeus". These four horizontal compositions are already very different stylistically from the first two. The seventh painting (again vertical) differs from them - the mysterious "Dog" to the right of the front door. Unlike the lower cycle, the upper one remained unfinished and did not form into a single ensemble.

Saturn devouring his children. 1820-1823

Mixed media, canvas. Transferred from wall cladding.

Dimensions: 143.5 - 81.4 cm.

In Saturn, the background of the mural is a coal-black cosmic hole, in the depths of which the figure of an ancient deity, the personification of the all-devouring element of Time, shot up as a thickening cloud of volcanic ash. Its outlines, deliberately scattered in space, are brought together by a spasm of violently writhing movement. It seems to push the surrounding darkness, breaks the boundaries of its spatial cell in order to escape into the space of the hall. In it, inorganic and organic, up to human and primitive-human beginning. Its knotty forms resemble a strange interweaving of thick tree branches; its angular, splayed and, as it were, jointed members evoke in our minds the image of a giant tarantula that instantly seized its prey, and the bulging eyes of Saturn are like the eyes of a fish.

Judith cutting off the head of Holofernes. 1820-1823.

Mixed media, canvas. Moved from wall cladding.

Dimensions: 146-84 cm.

Presented by Baron Émile d "Erlanger, 1881

"Judith" arises from darkness of a different kind - not cosmic, but rather earthly or, more precisely, - underground, basement, illuminated by an almost annoying combination of frozen and cold moonlight penetrating here from nowhere and the slightly warm flickering of a candle that she hides in the energy of earthly action, captured in its instantaneity, reigns here. now he will cut it off (here the first visual-semantic correspondence of her and Saturn arises - he began to devour his victim from the head). knees, hands and head of Saturn.

Witches' Sabbath. 1820-1823

Dimensions: 140.5-435.7 cm.

Presented by Baron Émile d "Erlanger, 1881

Originally, the painting, the Sabbat, depicting a gathering of witches who en masse worship the Devil-goat, listen to his sermons and present him with a young neophyte, was not yet cut off at the edges and stretched almost six meters instead of the current four and a little. and an extended dark space, where the stormy night sky interfered with the earth's firmament.At that time, a giant ellipsoid of stuck together and swarming bodies hung on the edge of them, whose movements unbalanced it and made it spin like a galaxy, tangentially capturing also the real space of the hall.

Pilgrimage to St. Isidore. 1820-1823

Dimensions: 127-266 cm.

Donated in 1881

This mural depicts a celebration that was officially celebrated in Madrid on May 15 on the day of St. Isidore, the plowman, the patron saint of the city. This is no longer an extreme triumph of the elements and forces of the earth, as in the previous mural, but the real life of the people of Madrid, the scene of morals, as a feat located nearby, Judith" is not a cosmogonic myth, but a real, albeit sacralized story. This is a people who, at sunset or before a storm, took off from their place and set off on their way. Only a blind man with a powerful, almost square torso leads them. Only ahead (on the opposite wall of the hall, before the removal of the murals) awaits him the devilry of a witch's festival.

Leocadia.1820-1823

Mixed media, canvas. Transferred from wall cladding.

Dimensions: 145.7-129.4 cm.

Donated in 1881

Two old men (old women?) Eating from the same dish. 1820-1823.

Mixed media, canvas. Translated from wall cladding.

Dimensions: 49.3-83.4 cm.

Donated in 1881

Two monks (old men). 1820-1823

Mixed media, canvas. Transferred from wall cladding.

Dimensions: 142.5-65.6 cm.

Donated in 1881

Politicians. 1821-1823

Mixed media, canvas. Translated from wall covering.

Dimensions: 126-66 cm.

Donated in 1881

Walk of the Inquisition. 1821-1823.

Mixed media, canvas. Translated from wall cladding.

Dimensions: 127-266 cm.

Donated in 1881

Here he is, - whispered Juan, pointing with his finger at the black bulk of the house, - look, there, on the porch. See?
Pablo saw. A heavy figure in a heavy velvet caftan appeared on the threshold. Sharp dark eyes darted around, plump lips moved soundlessly. A gust of wind tousled the gray hair of the owner of the house - he took a deep breath and croaked loudly:
- Leocadia! Leocadia!
A moment later, a second figure appeared on the threshold, no smaller than the first and somehow subtly reminiscent of the owner. But by the long dress, dirty cap and saggy breasts hidden by the dark gray mantle of the shirt, Pablo determined that in front of him was a woman. That means what she is, Leocadia, either a maid, or an apprentice sorcerer! This is exactly how he imagined this couple: terrible, vile fiends.
Leocadia touched her master's shoulder, he turned sharply and barked in her face:
- Where is my hat? Señor Raul is waiting for me - and I can't come to him like this! Where's my fucking hat?
A hat appeared in Leocadia's hands: a black, shabby monster with a high top and crumpled brim. The owner with one sharp movement put it on his head, Leocadia handed him a cane with a bronze round head, and the sorcerer moved with long steps away from the house, towards the gate and the hawthorn thickets where Pablo and Juan were hiding.
- He won't notice us? Pablo asked cautiously.
- Keep your head down, then he won't notice, - Juan snorted. He is deaf as a stump, but his eyes are sharp. Leocadia is his ears, but she has already left, so you can speak loudly, the main thing is not to move. Now, if he sees us, he won't show himself a little! Do you remember the miller Julio? He met him one night on the road. Julio, as always, got drunk on Madeira, and cursed the sorcerer how much in vain. So in revenge he took and turned Julio into a donkey. Not for long. But Julio had more than enough.
- How do you know? Pablo asked incredulously.
- So Julio himself told my dad about it! Bang, he says, and I’m standing in the middle of the road on four legs, I feel that, apart from the roar of a donkey, I can’t squeeze out a belmes from myself, and I also feel that my tail is growing ... And this sorcerer came up, looked into his eyes, yes and says: "Well, miller, won't you use foul language?" And I can’t even say anything, I just shook my head, no, they say, I won’t, have mercy, don’t ruin it. And he laughed in response, slapped me on the back with his cane, I collapsed into the mud, and he went on. Well, I look, I don’t have a tail, and my arms and legs are in place. That's how Julio said, by God, I'm not lying!
Meanwhile, the sorcerer had already caught up with the bushes, and Pablo froze, afraid to move. He heard heavy footsteps half a step away from him, he smelled: the sorcerer smelled pleasantly of some oils, but they were mixed with a barely perceptible garlic spirit of lamb stew. Looks like the sorcerer was not a fool to devour.
- Old stump! Juan suddenly exclaimed loudly. - Old deaf stump! Little tree! Chump!
Pablo froze. Well, how are all the tales about the deafness of the sorcerer - just tales, and he hears everything perfectly ?! Turn them with Juan into worms - and remember their names! But the sorcerer did not slow down his pace, went up to the gate, opened it, went out onto the road, slammed the gate - and just as quickly and heavily stomped to the Seville bridge.
Juan burst out laughing and clapped Pablo on the shoulder.
- You should have seen your face! I just didn't wet my pants! I'm telling you - he's deaf, deaf! He doesn't hear a belmes.
How does he talk then? Pablo was surprised. - I myself saw how he spoke with his Leocadia ...
"He can read lips," Juan explained. - He understands everything, he just needs to see you. If you don't see it, say what you want. Even though the bonfires are worthless, that's how I am now - it won't do anything!
- If he is a sorcerer, why didn't he get his hearing back? Pablo scowled. - Maybe he's not a sorcerer at all, but pretending to be?
- A sorcerer, a sorcerer, I tell you exactly! Juan nodded. - It's just that he sold his soul to the devil for a magical talent, and the devil - he will be more cunning than any sorcerer! In addition to the soul, he also took away his hearing. Forever, no witchcraft can return, that's what the hell. Everyone, let's go to the house, we'll watch!
They climbed out of the bushes, shaking off the dust and leaves stuck in their hair, and cautiously, stealthily looking around, went along the path leading to the porch.
“There, the right shutter is barely holding on,” Juan whispered quickly, “you lift me up, I climb onto the windowsill and pull you in. And remember - if Leocadia appears, you need to throw salt in her eyes and say: "Blessed Virgin, protect and forgive, turn the devil into a black cat!" And you will see how the witch immediately becomes a cat! And what are cats afraid of - we will have time to escape! Did you take the salt?
Pablo felt the bundle in his pocket and nodded - he took it, they say. Juan smiled and walked even faster. It seemed to him that they were not approaching the house, but the house was moving towards them: it covered the sky, blocked the sun, filled everything around with itself. With ominous eyes the black tumbles of attic windows look, the dilapidated balcony on the second floor grins with a gapped mouth, the half-torn shutter creaks - and from within comes a uterine rumble, as if rumbling in the stomach of a well-fed, but vicious beast.
"Come," the house whispers, "closer, closer... I'm full, but I'll eat you... Whole... I'll gnaw at the bones... I'll swallow... Forever... Come... Biiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii... .".
Juan was already pulling himself up on the windowsill, nimble as a lizard, he extended his hand to Pablo and with one quick strong movement pulled him up to him. The boys looked at each other and, without saying a word, jumped at the same time.
Inside the house.
Pablo looked around: they were standing in a long corridor - on the right was a staircase that apparently led to the second floor, on the left was a hall with a front door. There was practically no furniture: a few armchairs covered with dusty gray covers, a small chest of drawers opposite the window, and a round table with unopened letters lying on it at the very entrance. And the smell: a strange, slightly sweet, barely perceptible smell of oil - it seemed that he was everywhere. The corridor and the hall were dark: only a few paired lamps slightly fluttered with candles ...
- Look! - suddenly whispered Juan and pointed his finger somewhere up. Pablo looked up and his breathing stopped.
Above them hung a procession of many people. The gigantic picture, almost the entire corridor long, seemed to float in the darkness: the dark colors were hard to distinguish, but Pablo remembered it all, to the smallest detail. The picture showed a crowd of people moving straight at Pablo: distorted faces, mouths frozen in an eternal scream, twisted fingers - and faces utterly familiar, but disfigured by an unknown horror of the face. Here is Donna Marta, an old hag, mumbling with her toothless mouth and looking sideways in the direction of Acosto's grandfather (it was said that in his youth he followed young Marta). Here is the butcher Jose licking his greasy finger, here is Enrique the baker in his eternally worn shoes and an apron sprinkled with flour ... And ahead - look! - it's him, Pedro the merry fellow, with an eternal guitar at the ready, only now Pedro sings not a cheerful song about the lovely Rosita, but some kind of terrible viscous canzona, and his mouth is twisted, and horror in wide-open eyes ...
Pablo recoiled from the terrible picture, and he and Juan darted into the entrance hall - but immediately froze again, amazed and frightened at the same time.
Two more paintings hung on either side of the doors. On the right was depicted a stately, domineering woman with a proudly raised head, a black dress tightly fitting the figure, the left leg coquettishly pushed forward. But the woman's face seemed subtly familiar to Pablo - he took a closer look and recognized Leocadia in the woman depicted in the picture, only she was much younger here, forty, no more. In the eyes of the sorcerer's servant, an haughty and pompous expression froze, thin lips folded into a caustic grin.
In the left picture, an unknown artist painted two monks. Pablo immediately identified one - Father Ignacio was as if alive: a sad, elongated face framed by a gray beard, sad eyes and a black mantle of a cassock ... But a vile, plump mug protruded from behind the old monk's shoulder. Another monk, a young one with a freshly shaved tonsure and a puffy potato nose, was whispering something in the old priest's ear, squinting slyly at Pablo. It seemed all human - but what is there! - and an inhuman abomination was concentrated in this impudent mug, in this disgusting little man, clearly telling Father Ignacio some kind of dirty gossip, but from the imperturbable expression of the old priest it was clear that his - great is the Lord! - the gossip of the filthy bastard does not touch in the least. Oh, humble father Ignacio, sage and seer, your faith is unshakable and your spirit is unshakable!
Pablo suddenly caught himself thinking that he thought of the drawn characters as living people. Indeed, although the familiar faces were painted in broad, rough strokes, the resemblance to real people was amazing. But the unknown artist seemed to be looking at them through vessels with water - it seems that the facial features are the same, but at the same time - distorted by the ripples of the water surface, curved by the walls of the vessel ...
Pablo turned around.
And a heartbreaking cry hung in the air - the cry of a hunted animal, a frightened game, a dying animal, a cry full of pain, despair and fear.
"Who is screaming?" - Pablo thought with surprise, but in a second he realized that he himself was shouting.
He had never seen anything more terrible in his life.
A naked giant squatted in front of him. Gray hair was tousled over the shoulders, crazy eyes popped out of their sockets, a giant mouth gaped open, and the gnawed body of a boy hangs from it.
The giant ate. He frantically ate human flesh, belching and drooling, choking on someone else's blood and choking on young cartilage, savoring fresh meat.
The giant was insatiable. Curved dirty claws dug into the skin of the corpse, tearing the soft tissues of the child's body, and it was clear that now he would swallow this child - and rush at them with Juan.
And immediately devour.
"This is it, the house!" A crazy thought flashed through Pablo's mind. - "This is he, he eats us - and we will never get out of here ...".
Pablo did not see Juan screeching down the corridor, how he throws open the window and jumps into the yard. Some kind of gray fog swirled before his eyes, and the last thing Pablo felt was a heavy hand on his shoulder and a hoarse voice, breathed with the stench of garlic stew:
- Leocadia! Who let this boy in here?
... When Pablo opened his eyes, he saw that he was lying on snow-white pillows in someone else's bedroom. The wide window was wide open, and the fresh breeze caressed Pablo's cheek.
And by the window, in an armchair, sat the sorcerer.
In his hands was a lead pencil and a piece of paper. The sorcerer looked slyly at Pablo.
- Woke up? he croaked hoarsely. “I would ask you not to move for another couple of minutes. I have to finish the drawing.
- A drawing?... - Pablo murmured in astonishment. - Just a drawing?
- What else did you want? the sorcerer chuckled. - Just answer, please, clearly and look directly at me. I am deaf and can read lips.
- My soul?... - said Pablo.
Why do I need your soul? - the sorcerer goggled his surprised eyes and froze with a pencil in his hand.
- But you're a sorcerer? You want my soul, don't you? Pablo muttered.
- Sorcerer?! laughed the man in the chair. “No one has ever called me that!” I'm not a wizard, boy. I am an artist. Francisco Goya y Lucientes at your service. And please don't move. I have to finish painting you before sunset...