La maja desnuda

La maja desnuda, or The Naked Maja, is a famous oil-on-canvas painting.

It was created by the Spanish artist Francisco de Goya around 1797 to 1800. The painting shows a woman reclining on a bed of pillows. She rests upon bare white cloths. This artwork is significant because it changed how artists depicted the human body. It is now a permanent part of the Museo del Prado in Madrid.

Goya used a very specific style to create this portrait. The woman in the painting looks directly at the viewer. Her gaze is described as straightforward and unashamed. This was a major departure from older traditions of art. Most earlier paintings of nude women were not so direct.

Goya also depicted the woman with pubic hair. This was rare in Western art at the time. Most artists avoided this detail to avoid negative connotations. Goya's choice helped extend the artistic horizon of his era.

The painting is actually part of a pair. Goya created a second painting called La maja vestida, or The Clothed Maja.

In this version, the woman wears contemporary clothing. The word "maja" refers to a fashionable, lower-class woman from Madrid. These two paintings are often displayed together. Some accounts suggest they were meant to interact. One theory says the clothed version could be pulled away by a cord. This would reveal the nude version underneath.

There are many differences between the two versions. While they are the same size, the clothed woman appears larger. Art historian Janis Tomlinson says she seems to press against the frame. This makes the clothed version feel more brazen. In contrast, the nude version is described as more timid.

Goya's style here is also distinct from other masters. For example, Velázquez painted the Rokeby Venus with an elongated, curved figure. Goya used a shorter and more angular figuration. He also used white cloths instead of rich, colored satin.

The history of these works is filled with political tension. Manuel de Godoy, the Duke of Alcúdia, likely commissioned the paintings.

He kept them in a private cabinet for nude paintings. In 1808, investigators from the Spanish Inquisition discovered them. They called the works indecent and prejudicial to the public good. Godoy and a curator named Don Francisco de Garivay were brought before a tribunal.

They were forced to reveal who had painted the art.

Goya himself faced serious trouble because of these paintings. He was summoned on a charge of moral depravity. Investigators asked him why he made such works. They also wanted to know who requested them. Goya managed to escape prosecution through a clever defense. He argued that he was emulating great masters like Titian and Velázquez. The Director of Confiscations accepted this explanation. He noted that the Inquisition had not found the Rokeby Venus objectionable.

This helped Goya avoid punishment.

Today, the painting is a major cultural icon. It has inspired many different types of media. The painter Manet is believed to have alluded to it in his work.

In 1930, the Spanish Postal Authority approved stamps featuring the painting. It has also appeared in various books and films. A 1959 novel and film shared its name. The painting even appears in the 1982 film The Toy. It remains a vital subject for studying the history of art and social change.