Goya's black paintings: Half-submerged dog

Artist	Francisco Goya
Title	Half-submerged dog
Year	1819-1823
Technique	Mural (later converted to canvas)
Current location	Museo del Prado, Madrid, Spain

This is the most enigmatic of all the black paintings. A dog, half submerged (quicksand? or is the dog just standing behind a rim?), gazing into emptiness, and nothing else. The whole painting emanates emptiness, a sense of loss, loneliness. Some critics have stated that the painting is unfinished. It is possible, though the painting is expressive enough as it stands.

The landscape is strangely sketchy. Actually, if you leave out the dog there would not even be a landscape, just some coloured planes.

Half-submerged dog is also known as The dog.

Half-submerged dog is on display in the Museo del Prado in Madrid.

This article also appeared in the Goya's black paintings series on HBvK . com.

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