On-line gallery
- Reference number
- P00795
- Author
- Goya y Lucientes, Francisco de (Spanish)
- Title
- The Grape Harvest, or Autumn
- Chronology
- 1786-1787
- Technique
- Support
- Measures
- 268 cm x 190 cm
- School
- Theme
- Shown
- Yes
- Entrance
- INVENTARIO TAPICES
- Procedence
- Real Patrimonio, 1870
Dressed in yellow clothes that
symbolize autumn, a young man
sitting on a stone offers a cluster
of black grapes to a lady. A boy is
eager to reach the offered fruit,
which is reserved for the adults. A
woman stands next to them, holding
a grape basket on her head, much
like the classical allegory of the
goddess Ceres with fruit on her
head. Some grape harvesters are
behind them, next to the grapevine
that leads to a valley crowned with
the suggestion of mountains in the
background.
Here, following Western painting's
traditional iconography, the grape
harvest is an allegory of autumn.
This is one of the most beautiful
and best-known compositions from
all of Goya's cartoon series. It's
pyramidal structure, and the
figures that recall ancient
statuary, define the artist's study
of the classical artistic
tradition.
This cartoon was for one of the
tapestries intended for the Prince
of Asturias' dining room at the El
Pardo Palace.
Location on the map
