Artwork
Cat fight
Cat fight is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist Francisco de Goya. It dates from 1794 and is held in the collection of the Museo del Prado.
About this work
Technique & Style
It was executed as a cartoon for a tapestry, intended for installation as a transom over a door in the Prince’s dining room at the Palace of El Pardo.
The work known as Cat fight (Riña de gatos) is an oil painting on canvas created by Francisco Goya in 1786. It was executed as a cartoon for a tapestry, intended for installation as a transom over a door in the Prince’s dining room at the Palace of El Pardo. The horizontal format and the depiction of two cats locked in combat on a brick wall reflect a realistic study of animal behavior, rendered with stark chiaroscuro that emphasizes silhouette against bright light.
The canvas remained rolled and stored in the Prado’s basement for more than a century, suffering humidity damage, and was only re‑identified and added to the permanent collection in 1986. Stylistically, the piece combines a traditional perspective with the naturalistic detail characteristic of Goya’s tapestry cartoons, linking it to his later Caprichos series.
History & Provenance
Painted in 1786 as part of Francisco Goya's fifth series of tapestry cartoons, this work was commissioned to decorate the dining room of the Prince and Princess of Asturias at the Royal Palace of El Pardo. The horizontal format indicates it was designed as a transom painting intended to hang above a doorway.
The piece was considered lost until its discovery in 1869 within the basement of the Royal Palace of Madrid by Gregorio Cruzada Villaamil. It was transferred to the Museo del Prado in 1870 under royal ordinances but remained stored in the museum's basement for over a century, where humidity obscured its stylistic features. Initially inventoried as the work of an anonymous artist, the painting was not definitively attributed to Goya until 1983. It entered the museum's permanent collection in 1986.
The painting known as Cat fight (Riña de gatos) is held by the Museo Nacional del Prado in Madrid. It entered the museum's collection in 1870, was recorded as the work of an anonymous artist at that time, and remained in the institution's basement until 1986 when it was incorporated into the permanent collection; it was first documented in the museum's catalogue in 1876 and displayed in room 94. The work measures 56.5 cm by 196.5 cm and dates to 1786. Its attribution to Francisco Goya was confirmed in 1983 after being rediscovered in the museum's archives.
Context
Created as part of Francisco Goya’s fifth series of tapestry cartoons for the Royal Palace of El Pardo, the painting is notable for its striking focus solely on animals, a significant departure within the series. Goya's realistic study of the creatures' combat would recur later in his Caprichos series and had previously appeared in his Italian Sketchbook.
The work's authorship and place in Goya's oeuvre generated considerable scholarly controversy. When rediscovered rolled up in the Prado's basement in 1983, having been inventoried in 1870 as by an anonymous painter, its attribution was initially questioned. Scholars noted it bore little relation to the other Pardo cartoons and lacked Goya's typical stylistic traits, likely due to degradation from prolonged humidity. Nonetheless, a consensus eventually affirmed Goya's authorship.
Overview
Francisco Goya's Cat Fight (Riña de gatos or Los gatos) is an oil painting created as a preparatory design, known as a cartoon, for a tapestry. This work was part of a larger commission for the Spanish royal family, intended to adorn a specific room within one of their palaces. It showcases Goya's engagement with decorative arts for aristocratic patrons.
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts a dynamic and somewhat chaotic scene of felines engaged in a struggle. Rather than a violent confrontation, Goya portrays the cats in a tangled, almost swirling mass, suggesting a boisterous, playful skirmish. Their expressive postures and "attitude" contribute to the lively and humorous character of the composition, fitting for a decorative piece in a royal dining room.
Artist & collection
Artist
Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes was a Spanish romantic painter and printmaker.
