francisco Goya 1746-1828

disillusioned, deaf and seemingly on death’s door, Goya’s art Took a sinister Turn Once the highest-ranked painter in the Spanish royal court, Francisco Goya’s work is often split into two discrete phases: the former light, bright and proving his skill and value; the latter hinting at Goya’s mental deterioration, with his paintings taking a darker turn in both tone and subject.

Having built up a sterling reputation in Spain as a portrait painter to kings and nobles, a severe recurring illness that began in 1793 changed Goya’s life forever. Suffering from tinnitus, headaches, vision problems as well as hallucinations, this first bout of ill-health ended, but one lasting ailment endured: Goya lost his hearing. From this point on, Goya’s entire personality changed and he withdrew into himself. Three more serious attacks of illness struck and he died in 1828, having spent his final years tormented by the inevitability of death and his own sanity.

Goya naturally never received a diagnosis, but modern-day researchers have suggested various ailments, from syphilis or lead poisoning from his paint, to paranoid dementia or even Susac’s syndrome, an autoimmune disease that can cause headaches, hearing loss and psychiatric problems.