La maja desnuda

The Naked Maja (Spanish: La maja desnuda, actually " The naked beauty" ) is a 1795-1800 arisen oil painting by Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes, depicting a naked, resting on a pillow woman.

The image is viewed by Robert Hughes as the first appearance of pubic hair in Western art.

Clothed Maja

Goya has a second version of the image ( La maja vestida, The Clothed Maja ) painted on the model in the same pose, but is shown wearing.

History

The genesis of the painting and the identity of the model are unknown. Both images appear in records for the first time in the possession of the Spanish Prime Minister, Manuel de Godoy on what sparked speculation that one of his mistresses dar. imagine Maja ( Maja in this context is not a name but a Spanish term for an attractive girl or a young woman. ) another theory was that the picture is a representation of the 13th Duchess of Alba, who was repeatedly painted by Goya and possibly also had an affair with the painter. It is also possible that there is a blending of different models and no single person is shown.

In 1815, Goya was summoned before the Spanish Inquisition, to find out who had commissioned him to paint the " obscene " picture. It is recorded no record of Goya's statement. Consequence of the process was the fact that the title of the royal court painter, he was denied.

Spain was in 1930 four stamps featuring famous paintings by Goya out, including the Naked Maja. Spanish Catholics and other states protested unsuccessfully against the stamp.