Plucked Turkey
- Original dimensions
- 62.4 x 44.8 cm
- Museum
- Neue Pinakothek, room 1
- Year
- 1810
Scene depicted
In this canvas , Goya does not simply show a plucked turkey. He integrates a reflection on the nature and wildlife of his time, evoking the struggle between man and nature, between the need for survival and the intrinsic beauty of each creature. The painting, imbued with realism , presents this poultry escaped from slaughter, as a metaphor that is both tender and tragic.
Historical context
Created in 1810, in the vibrant context of the late 18th century, in Madrid, this work by the famous Spanish artist Francisco de Goya is part of the emerging romantic movement. Goya, an iconic figure in Spanish painting, captures through this painting the complexity of human emotions and a very personal vision of nature. Today, the canvas is preserved at the Neue Pinakothek Museum, an institution in Munich that reveals masterpieces of 19th-century European painting.
Place in the artist's career
Plucked Turkey represents a pivotal period in Goya's career, between a stylistic evolution towards more freedom and a desire to explore darker themes. Alongside The Clothed Maja and The Family of Charles IV , this work testifies to Goya's ability to merge technique and emotion, signing compositions that still resonate today with strength and depth.
Anecdote
“Art is a silent cry that reveals the hidden truths of the soul,” Goya is said to have remarked. In the intimacy of his studio, between shadows and lights, he found inspiration for this pictorial work , capturing it after observing a tranquil autumn morning, where the beauty of nature and its fragility meet in a breath of fresh air, full of promises.