When asked who he considered of importance, Picasso only mentioned Goya (1746-1828). But, he has also extremely influenced a lot of modern and contemporary painters, such as Manet, the Expressionist movement in early twentieth-century and, most recently, Francis Bacon, and Sigmar Polke. As painter of the Spanish Court, he created series of tapestry cartoons, wall paintings, and individual and group portraits, but, after his serious illness in late 1792, he started an important body of uncommissioned works that introduced new elements which greatly enhanced their expressive potential. This book, written by Jose Gudiol, one of the most renowned specialist in Spanish paintings, focuses on Goya' s, profoundly disturbing imagery, and demonstrates that his modernity derives from his lifelong investigation of what lies behind the world of appearances and convention. 133 illustrations