“Still Life: Three Salmon Steaks,” a compelling artwork by Francisco Goya, dates from the period of 1808 to 1812. This oil on canvas piece exemplifies the Romanticism movement, known for its emphasis on emotion and individualism. The artwork’s dimensions are 45 by 62 centimeters and it manifests as a still life. The artwork is currently housed at the Oskar Reinhart Foundation in Winterthur, Switzerland.
The artwork presents a simple yet dramatic depiction of three salmon steaks against a stark, dark background. Goya’s brushwork captures the texture and richness of the fish’s flesh, delineating each steak with meticulous attention to the natural variations and subtle tonal shifts. The deep reds and pinks of the salmon provide a strong visual contrast to the darkness that envelops them, drawing the observer’s eye directly to the subject matter. The rendering of light and shadow plays a significant role in the composition, creating depth and allowing each steak to appear three-dimensional. The surface upon which the salmon steaks rest is rendered with a muted tone, enhancing the overall somber atmosphere of the still life. Throughout the artwork, Goya demonstrates a mastery of form and color, hallmarks of his broader oeuvre which often engaged with themes of mortality and the passage of time, making this piece a significant and introspective contribution to the genre of still life.
