Diego Velasquez's Las Meninas and Pablo Picasso's Guernica are two of the most widely acclaimed paintings of Western art. Indeed, the popularity of these paintings has transformed their titles into household names. The course Masters and Masterpieces will offer an in-depth analysis of these paintings through the lens of their historic and artistic contexts. Also included in our study is the 19th century painter Francisco de Goya. In the case of Goya special attention is given to his royal portrait La familia de Carlos IV and his portrayal of Spain's war with Napoleon Dos de Mayo 1808. We will compare the neoclassical moment of Goya's La familia with the Baroque world of Las Meninas and contrast both these moments with the 20th century world of Picasso's art.
