The artwork “Majas on a Balcony” is a distinguished painting by Francisco Goya, created in the year 1808. The medium used is oil on canvas, and it fits into the genre painting category, which is a depiction of everyday life scenes. It is a notable work within the Romanticism art movement and has dimensions measuring 193 cm in height and 124.5 cm in width. This artwork currently resides at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, New York, United States.
“Majas on a Balcony” displays two elegantly dressed women, possibly ‘majas,’ standing prominently on a balcony with a railing that bisects the canvas horizontally. These women are adorned in fashionable attire of the time and are adorned with delicate lace and floral ornamentations. They embody the leisurely and seductive graces associated with majas, a term referring to stylish and flirtatious women of the Spanish lower classes of the 18th and 19th centuries. Their poised countenances, engaging directly with the viewer, suggest an air of confident familiarity and allure.
In the background, overshadowed by the vibrancy of the women, are figures cloaked in darker hues, adding an element of depth and mystery to the scene. On the left, there is a man with a hat leaning slightly forward, as if in conversation with the majas. On the right, a shadowy figure whose face is barely visible, draped in a brown cloak, evokes intrigue. The juxtaposition of the glowing figures in the foreground against the somber tones in the background, along with the masterful use of light and shadow, further amplifies the romantic and dramatic effect characteristic of Goya’s work during the Romanticism period.
