Goya at Boston Fine Arts Museum

Last week, I took a trip up to Boston to visit the Fine Arts Museum. They have mounted a new exhibition of the Spanish artist Francisco Goya. Entitled Order and Disorder it features 170 of the artist's works across a variety of mediums. 

Spend the $5 to take the audio tour. It is very well done. It is the first time I have had one on an iPod and it made it quite easy to listen to the exhibition curators Stephanie Stepanek and Frederick Ilchman giving lots of information about the artist, the work and the times he was working in.

The works are displayed by theme and towards the end of the exhibit, you are exposed to the violence and horror of the Peninsular War that ravaged Spain for 6 years. 

With 170 works, it is a huge exhibition. Personally, I wish they had included benches in the earlier rooms, it was a little hard on me in the last few rooms you can sit and listen to the audio. 

The exhibition ends with his monumental painting  “Last Communion of Saint Joseph of Calasanz” as well as his self-portrait with his physician from the later years of his life. It was a very powerful exhibition and even though I would never say he was one of my favorite artists, this was a very well done exhibition and I enjoyed it a lot. 

It will be at the Fine Arts Museum through January 19m 2015. If you have the opportunity to get to Boston to see it, please do, you won't be disappointed. 

Of course we had lunch in the cafeteria and as usual, the food is excellent. I made myself a salad and it was wonderful. In case you wonder what I got, I chose a curried chicken salad and some pickled veggies including beets.

While you are at the museum, don't miss the "The Art of English Regency Gallery" and the wonderful Chihuly sculpture "Lime Green Icicle Tower" in the Shapiro Courtyard.

To find out more about the exhibit: with the MFA website.