Art

Jamia Lee

October 25, 2025

The Witches Sabbath – Francisco Goya

The artwork I chose is “The Witches’ Sabbath”, 1798 by Franciso Goya. Goya used dark

and moody blues, browns, and blacks to create an ominous atmosphere. The lines used are loose

and flowy that give off a more surreal look. The style is symbolism, and the goat represents pagan

ritual and superstition.

The narrative is the gathering for a “sabbath”. The “He-Goat” is the depicted as the largest

figure showing his significance and represented a demonic entity or the devil. The goat possessed

large horns that were adorned by a wreath of oak leaves. The leaves symbolize strength, wisdom,

and honor. The figure is surrounded by a coven of young and old disfigured witches. The women

show expressions of amazement, fear, and submission. They are depicted as offering infants to be

consumed as a token of appreciation to their God.

The material used is oil on canvas. This is a traditional technique where pigments are

suspended in a drying oil like linseed, which acts as a binder. The paint dries through the process

of oxidation. The canvas is typically made of cotton or linen, stretched over a wooden frame, and

coated in a primer like gesso to prevent the oil from soaking in. He displayed the use of chiaroscuro

to create dramatic, three-dimensional forms through strong contrasts of light and dark. In turn this

gives depth and intensity layered through pigments to showcase the richness of objects. The use

of this was to help focus the viewers’ gaze on the main point of the picture.

Goya rarely spoke publicly about his views and intentions; therefore, I think the purpose

of this painting was to criticize the superstitions placed within civilians during the Inquisition-era.

This painting functions as social commentary and psychological exploration. It showed me that

when people are led by ignorance and desperation, they will seek a scapegoat which always ended

up being innocent.

Jamia Lee

October 25, 2025

The Witches Sabbath – Francisco Goya

The artwork I chose is “The Witches’ Sabbath”, 1798 by Franciso Goya. Goya used dark

and moody blues, browns, and blacks to create an ominous atmosphere. The lines used are loose

and flowy that give off a more surreal look. The style is symbolism, and the goat represents pagan

ritual and superstition.

The narrative is the gathering for a “sabbath”. The “He-Goat” is the depicted as the largest

figure showing his significance and represented a demonic entity or the devil. The goat possessed

large horns that were adorned by a wreath of oak leaves. The leaves symbolize strength, wisdom,

and honor. The figure is surrounded by a coven of young and old disfigured witches. The women

show expressions of amazement, fear, and submission. They are depicted as offering infants to be

consumed as a token of appreciation to their God.

The material used is oil on canvas. This is a traditional technique where pigments are

suspended in a drying oil like linseed, which acts as a binder. The paint dries through the process

of oxidation. The canvas is typically made of cotton or linen, stretched over a wooden frame, and

coated in a primer like gesso to prevent the oil from soaking in. He displayed the use of chiaroscuro

to create dramatic, three-dimensional forms through strong contrasts of light and dark. In turn this

gives depth and intensity layered through pigments to showcase the richness of objects. The use

of this was to help focus the viewers’ gaze on the main point of the picture.

Goya rarely spoke publicly about his views and intentions; therefore, I think the purpose

of this painting was to criticize the superstitions placed within civilians during the Inquisition-era.

This painting functions as social commentary and psychological exploration. It showed me that

when people are led by ignorance and desperation, they will seek a scapegoat which always ended

up being innocent.