Friar Pedro Wrests the Gun from El Maragato

c. 1806

Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes (Spanish, 1746–1828)

In small, lively paintings made for his own pleasure or for a few discerning patrons, Francisco de Goya explored satirical and popular aspects of Spanish life. This series was inspired by a contemporary event, the capture of notorious criminal El Maragato by Friar Pedro de Saldivia in 1806. After escaping from prison, El Maragato spent two months stealing food, guns, and money before trying to take Friar Pedro and other innocent people hostage. The friar outsmarted the bandit, however, seizing his gun, shooting him in the thigh as he tried to flee, and finally tying him up. This story was extremely popular in the early 19th century and Spanish artists memorialized it in images, poems, and songs.

Status: On View, Gallery 220
Department: Painting and Sculpture of Europe

Artist: Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes
Title: Friar Pedro Wrests the Gun from El Maragato
Place: Spain (Artist's nationality:)
Date Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.: 1801–1811
Medium: Oil on panel
Dimensions: 29.2 × 38.5 cm (11 1/2 × 15 3/8 in.); Framed: 41.9 × 51.1 × 6.4 cm (16 1/2 × 20 1/8 × 2 1/2 in.)
Credit Line: Mr. and Mrs. Martin A. Ryerson Collection
Reference Number: 1933.1073
IIIF Manifest The International Image Interoperability Framework (IIIF) represents a set of open standards that enables rich access to digital media from libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural institutions around the world. Learn more.: https://api.artic.edu/api/v1/artworks/16355/manifest.json

Zeferino Araujo Sánchez, Goya (Madrid, 1895), p. 100, no. 93.
Paul Lafond, Goya (Paris, 1902), p. 110, no. 66.
V. von Loga, Francisco Goya, 1903, p. 215, no. 485, pl. 52.
Albert Frederick Calvert, Goya, 1908, pp. 152–153, no. 24–29.
Hugh Stokes, Francisco Goya (New York, 1914), p. 351, no. 501–506.
A. de Beruete y Moret, Goya: Composiciones y Figuras, vol. 2 (Madrid, 1917), no. 158-163.
L. Estarico, Francisco Goya, trans. R. West, 1924, pp. 65, 177, no. 597, pl. 185–190.
A. P. McMahon, “Spanish Painting: Greco to Goya,” The Arts 13 (1928), pp. 183 (ill.).
X. Desparmet Fitz-Gerald, L’Oeuvre Peint de Goya,Catalogue Raisonné vol. 1 (Paris, 1928-1950), no. 217, pl. 168.
The Art Institute of Chicago Bulletin 27, 1 (1933), p. 10.
Daniel Catton Rich, “Five Centuries of Early Painting in Chicago,” Pantheon 12 (July-December 1933), pp. 93, 381.
“America Sees First Big Goya Exhibition,” Art Digest 8 (April 15, 1934), p. 6 (ill.).
J. Gudiol, Goya (New York, 1941), p. 88, (ill.) 78-83.
The Art Institute of Chicago, Masterpiece of the Month (June 1940), pp. 127, 128.
R. Hilton, Margato y El Ocaso del Bandalerismo Espanol (New York, 1946), pp. 1–10 (ill.).
Eleanor Sherman Font, “Goya’s Source for the Maragato Series,” Gazette des Beaux-Arts (November 1958), pp. 289, 291 (ill.).
The Art Institute of Chicago, Paintings in The Art Institute of Chicago: A Catalogue of the Picture Collection (Chicago, 1961), p. 201, 102 (ill.).
Rodolfo Pallucchini, “L’Art Institute di Chicago,” L’Illustrazione del Medico 33, 218 (February 1966), pp. 12, 14, fig. 6.
Pierre Gassier and Juliet Wilson, The Life and Complete Work of Francisco Goya (New York, 1971), pp. 157 (ill.), 374, 381, no. 866.
Nigel Glendinning, Goya and His Critics (London, 1977), pp. 219,
John D. Morse, Paintings in North America: Over 3000 Masterpieces by 50 Great Artists (New York, 1979), p. 144.
The Art Institute of Chicago, Master Paintings in The Art Institute of Chicago (Chicago, 1988), p. 45 (ill.).
Jeannine Baticle, Goya d’or et de sang (Paris, 1994), p. 95.
Janis Tomlinson, Francisco Goya y Lucientes 1746-1828 (London, 1994), p. 173, fig. 136.
Juliet Wilson-Bareau, “Goya and the X Numbers: The Inventory and Early Acquistions of ‘Goya’ Pictures,” Metropolitan Museum Journal 31 (1996), p. 161, fig. 3.
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Goya: Order and Disorder, October 12, 2014-January 19, 2015, cat. 185 (ill.).

New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Spanish Painting, 1928, cat. 7–12, ill.
The Art Institute of Chicago, Century of Progress Exhibition of Paintings and Sculpture, June 1–November 1, 1933, cat. 166-c.
The Art Institute of Chicago, Century of Progress Exhibition of Paintings and Sculpture, June 1–November 1, 1934, cat. 69-c.
M. Knoedler & Co., New York, Loan Exhibition of Paintings by Goya, April 9-April 21, 1934, cat. 19.
Columbus, Ohio, Gallery of Fine Arts, Exhibition of Spanish Art, 1936.
The Art Institute of Chicago, Goya, 1941, pp. 46–49, cat. 73 (ill.)
The Toledo Museum of Art, Spanish Painting, March 16-April 27, 1941, pp. 136–137, cat. 92 (ill.).
New York, Wildenstein & Co., A Loan Exhibition of Goya, For the Benefit of the Institute of Fine Arts, New York University, November 9–December 16, 1950, cat. 31.
New York, Metropolitan Museum, Goya Drawings and Prints, May 3–30, 1955, cat. 180.
Madrid, Museo del Prado, Goya: Truth and Fantasy. The Small Paintings, November 15, 1994-February 27, 1994, cat. 86; London, Royal Academy of Arts, March 18-June 12, 1994; Art Institute of Chicago, July 16-October 16, 1994.
Boston, Museum of Fine Arts, Goya: Order and Disorder, October 12, 2014-January 19, 2015, cat. 185 (ill.).

One of a series of six small paintings in an inventory of Goya’s collection, Madrid, taken in 1812 for the division of property between the artist and his son Javier following the death of the artist’s wife; the group of small paintings marked X8 being allotted to the son: “Seis quadros del Maragato señalados con el número ocho, en 700 [reales]” (the inventory mark has been removed from the painting and is no longer visible) [see Gassier and Wilson 1971]; presumably Javier Goya after 1812. Lafitte collection, Madrid; sale, Paris, Hôtel Drouot, March 7, 1861, bought in together with other paintings from the series for 590 francs [see Hippolyte Mireur, Dictionnaire des ventes (Paris, 1914), vol. 3, p. 360 and Despartment Fitz-Gerald 1928-1950]. Julius Böhler, Munich by 1911; sold to Martin Ryerson (died 1932), Chicago in May 1911 [see purchase receipt dated May 13, 1911]; bequeathed to the Art Institute, 1933.

Gassier and Wilson GW 866

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.

On View

Status

Department

Artist

Title

Place

Date Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

Medium

Dimensions

Credit Line

Reference Number

IIIF Manifest The International Image Interoperability Framework (IIIF) represents a set of open standards that enables rich access to digital media from libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural institutions around the world.

Learn more.

Explore Further

Suggested Terms

See all hours

On View

Date:

Artist:

About this artwork

Status

Department

Artist

Title

Place

Date Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

Medium

Dimensions

Credit Line

Reference Number

IIIF Manifest The International Image Interoperability Framework (IIIF) represents a set of open standards that enables rich access to digital media from libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural institutions around the world. Learn more.

Extended information about this artwork

Publication History

Exhibition History

Provenance

Catalogues Raisonnés

Share

Explore Further

Sign up for our enewsletter to receive updates.

Gallery actions

Image actions

Share

IIIF Manifest The International Image Interoperability Framework (IIIF) represents a set of open standards that enables rich access to digital media from libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural institutions around the world.

Learn more.