Friar Pedro Wrests the Gun from El Maragato
Historical Context
Friar Pedro Wrests the Gun from El Maragato is the action climax of Goya's six-panel narrative — the moment when the friar seizes the physical advantage that will lead to the bandit's capture and surrender to civil authorities. The wrestling match for possession of the firearm is painted with the dynamic energy and direct observation that Goya brought to scenes of physical conflict throughout his career, from the early tapestry cartoons through the Disasters of War. The small panel format and the sequential logic of the series suggest that Goya conceived it as a unified narrative object, possibly for a single patron who appreciated both the topical story and the artist's ability to render action.
Technical Analysis
The struggle for the gun is rendered with dynamic, interlocking forms and bold brushwork. Goya captures the physical tension of the moment through the opposing diagonal movements of the two figures. The palette is warm and direct, with strong contrasts that emphasize the dramatic action.
Provenance
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.
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