This tondo, painted by Goya at the beginning of the 19th century, formed part of the decoration of the grand monumental staircase of Godoy’s palace. Along with three other compositions in a circular format, the one of Science (lost) expressed the ideals of the Enlightenment, as well as the ideas of progress of the Economic Societies of Friends of the Country that Godoy favoured. The iconography used by Goya is the traditional one of Agriculture: represented by the goddess Ceres crowned with ears of corn as a symbol of fertility. A later overpainting decoratively covered the goddess’s bare, abundant chest, who is seated in a landscape with two hoes and a scythe at her feet as specific peasant implements. In her left hand she holds a bunch of grapes and ears of corn, and in her right a pomegranate, while a kneeling peasant offers her a basket of flowers and fruit under the celestial signs of Leo, Libra and Scorpio (corresponding to the richest months of the harvest: summer and autumn).
Collection: Images
Project: 2. Social and economic impact of technological revolutions in Europe., 3. Rural world and urban world in the formation of the European identity.
Chronology: XIX
Scope: Secondary Education, Baccalaureate, University
Resource type: Image
Format: Tempera on canvas (diameter: 227 cm)
Source: Museo del Prado (Madrid)
Language: Spanish
Date: 1804-1806
Owner: Álvaro Romero González (Modernalia)
Identifier: P002547
Copyright: Museo del Prado (Madrid)
Abstract: Tondo circular with the allegory of agriculture by Goya
Image
Tags
