Goya, an account of his life and worksCalvert, Albert Frederick
History
Goya, an account of his life and works
Calvert, Albert Frederick
Goya, Francisco, 1746-1828
The insinuations of Bayeu have led to the conclusion that the
expositor came to this city as a mere subordinate of his, and that
notwithstanding this absolute dependence, his proud spirit would
not submit to asking for instructions from D. Francisco, even on
the ground of friendship and relationship. Two entirely false
propositions, which are the cause of all the supplicant’s trouble,
because regarding the first he has already told you about the
agreements that preceded his coming to Zaragoza, and regarding this
and the second, D. Francisco Bayeu cannot deny that, as the result
of those agreements, the expositor executed the studies and designs
in Madrid, showed them to him, received his approval, and no fault
was found. The studies are the complete work, with the same
figures, colouring and arrangement to be observed, and the work
itself an entire copy of them; and if they passed his examination
in Madrid as an act of condescension on the part of the supplicant,
emanating from his desire for peace, why, if as he says he was
responsible, did he not then point out the defects he might have
noted? He did not do so; then what is to be inferred from his
having concealed them, if he noticed them? Obviously, and no
dissimulating artifice can hide this, it may be gathered that his
object was for the expositor to be in error, receive indignant
public censure, and lose all the merit and status won by his work.
But not wishing to believe such malevolence, because other proofs
would be required of it, it must be admitted either that he found
no defects in the studies or designs, and therefore the painting on
the dome, which is the same, has none, or that D. Francisco was
most culpable who, knowing of them, said nothing and allowed them
to be copied.
The expositor has never departed from that friendly subordination,
nor attempted to oppose D. Francisco Bayeu with the proud spirit of
which he is accused; a proof of this is what has been said about
the designs; another, the placing of the principal façade; and,
lastly, the many visits he paid him at his own house, even though
they were not returned. On being informed that the Chapter wished
Bayeu to inspect the work on the dome, he arranged for him to do
so, which he did, accompanied by the chief Presbyter Allué, and in
his presence admitted and acknowledged the perfection of the work,
saying that what he had been informed was not true; he also saw the
designs for the triangles, and approved of them.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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