Señora Sabasa Garcia
c. 1806/1811
Medium
oil on canvas
Dimensions
overall: 71 x 58 cm (27 15/16 x 22 13/16 in.) framed: 94.6 x 81.3 x 7.6 cm (37 1/4 x 32 x 3 in.)
Classification
Painting
Department
CIS-B
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Andrew W. Mellon Collection
Accession Number
1937.1.88
Art Historical Context
Francisco Goya's *Señora Sabasa García*, painted around 1806–1811, captures the vibrant spirit of early 19th-century Madrid through this intimate oil-on-canvas portrait (71 x 58 cm). The subject, Doña Isabel Sabas García, a local shopkeeper, is depicted in the bold, colorful attire of a *maja*—a stylish, working-class woman known for her flair and independence. Goya, Spain's foremost painter of the era, masterfully blends realism with psychological insight, using loose, expressive brushstrokes and dramatic lighting to convey her confident gaze and lively presence. Created during the turbulent...
About the Artist
Francisco Goya
Francisco Goya, born on March 30, 1746, in the small Aragonese village of Fuendetodos, Spain, to a gilder father and a mother from a family claiming minor nobility, displayed artistic promise early. At age 14, he apprenticed under painter José Luzán y Martínez in Zaragoza, honing his skills by copying prints before working independently. After unsuccessful attempts to enter Madrid's Real Academia ...