Francisco de Goya and Ludwig van Beethoven

Audio Jan. 13, 2022

Saint Anthony in the center of a very long image, with halo, gesturing to a group of people gathered all around. Their faces register shock — Francisco de Goya, The Miracle of St. Anthony, 1798, oil on canvas, Purchased with funds contributed through the generosity of Mrs. Alan M. Scaife and family

Fantasy, abandoned by reason, produces impossible monsters; united with it, she is the mother of the arts and the origin of marvels.

Francisco de Goya from Los Caprichos, 1799

Carnegie Museum of Art is delighted to bring you artwork from our collection whose stories and themes connect with the sounds you will hear from the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. We hope you enjoy experiencing this work of art alongside the performance.

Despite not knowing each other, Spanish artist Francisco de Goya and German composer Ludwig van Beethoven were connected by the marvels they created and the challenges they endured in their lives. Napoleon’s campaigns impacted Beethoven as he ushered in the Romantic era in music while Goya responded with expressionistic views of war. Their experiences of deafness lead to increased isolation yet immense periods of creativity including some of these Opus selections. Goya’s remains are entombed at the chapel of San Antonio de la Florida, Madrid, where the monumental fresco of The Miracle of St. Anthony graces the cupola.

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