The Goya Museum of Fundación Ibercaja announces today the addition of seven new Goyas to its permanent collection. It features the only complete and preserved series of scenes from Juguetes de niños painted by Francisco de Goya: Children playing the bull, Children looking for nests, Children playing jumping, Children playing soldiers, Children arguing over chestnuts, and Children playing on the seesaw. In addition to these six paintings, the portrait in miniature of a young gentleman in a blue frock coat is now part of the permanent collection. Visitors to the Goya Museum can now admire 32 works by the great Aragonese artist in this space.
At the press conference, José Luis Rodrigo, general director of Fundación Ibercaja, May Forcén, director of the Goya Museum, and Ignacio Olmos, director of the Santamarca and San Ramón and San Antonio Foundations, participated in the event.
The only complete series in the world
One notable aspect of the series is that it remains the only one in the world that has been preserved in its entirety and can be viewed as a whole. The scenes from Juguetes de niños were painted by Goya between 1775 and 1785. Before joining the Goya Museum collection, the series was exhibited at the Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando and in Milan.
The child-centered scenes in the Goya Museum showcase youngsters from ages two to thirteen in action and motion, drawn from the artist’s memories of his Zaragoza childhood. In these works, Goya depicts children playing, leaping, quarrelling, or mock-roaring, wearing costumes that mimic soldiers’ uniforms, paper caps, or makeshift weapons crafted from reeds.
Scenes set in Spain and Italy
Three scenes are set in Spain, specifically in urban spaces and the outskirts of Madrid (Children playing on the jump), in Castilian villages (Children playing soldiers), and in environments inspired by Zaragoza childhood memories (Children playing the bull). Other pieces, Children playing on the seesaw, Children fighting over chestnuts, and Children looking for nests, use the ancient ruins of Rome as their backdrop.
Shedding light on the life of children of the era
One of Goya’s main aims with this series was to bring attention to the carefree neglect of education among humble and poor children, most of whom were illiterate. The works carry a purposeful tone beneath their playful veneer.
The color palette used by Goya in these childhood scenes is typical of the period, featuring white-cream tones, ochres, yellows, greens, and dark blues, with reds and pinkish hues. In the skies, pale grays, light bluish grays, and oranges stand out. Compositionally, three scenes adopt a pyramidal arrangement while the others unfold horizontally, centering a group of children with two auxiliary groups on the sides.
Miniature portrait signed by Goya
The miniature portrait of a Young Gentleman in a blue frock coat was painted by Goya around 1803. The signature appears on the lower right shoulder. It is an unpublished work with unusual technique and support for Goya as a portraitist: gouache on ivory sheet. The sitter’s identity remains unknown as no information appears on the reverse.
The Goya Museum continues to consolidate itself as a reference space at the national and international level for the dissemination of the artist’s work and life. Currently, visitors can admire 32 works by the Aragonese genius, along with complete series of engravings from 1778 to 1825.
In total, the space houses 530 works across its galleries, in addition to the current temporary exhibition devoted to Joaquín Sorolla. The museum remains dedicated to bringing art and culture closer to Zaragoza residents and visitors to the city.
Fundación Ibercaja
Fundación Ibercaja is a private non-profit entity that grew from the Zaragoza, Aragon, and Rioja Savings Bank and Piety, Ibercaja. It focuses on creating, carrying out, and funding social and cultural initiatives to foster regional development. The foundation drives innovation in programs and activities, addressing modern societal needs within its focus area, guided by four core values: commitment, transparency, professionalism, and dynamism.