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Primary sourcePainting1798

Witches' Sabbath

Francisco Goya · 1798

An oil painting by Francisco Goya from 1798 showing a goat-devil presiding over a coven of witches, part of a set bought by the Duke and Duchess of Osuna.

Goya painted this work himself, making it a direct expression of his early critique of superstition.

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Painting of a night scene on a barren hillside under a crescent moon and bats. A large horned goat-like figure with a wreath of leaves on its head stands center, surrounded by hunched figures, a woman holding a child, and a small skeletal figure. Distant figures in white veils stand on the hills.
Francisco Goya, Witches' Sabbath, 1798. Museo Lázaro Galdiano, Madrid.

About this source

What it is

This is an oil painting on canvas made by Francisco Goya in 1798. It shows a horned, goat-like devil surrounded by witches, children and skeletal figures in a night landscape. It was bought along with five related witchcraft paintings by the Duke and Duchess of Osuna, and is now held at the Museo Lázaro Galdiano in Madrid.

Why it matters

The painting is an early example of Goya using supernatural and folk imagery to criticise superstition in Spanish society. It reflects the tastes of aristocratic patrons like the Osuna family, who collected scenes of witchcraft, and shows Goya's growing interest in the darker, irrational side of human belief that he returned to throughout his career.

Look closer

  • What details make this scene feel frightening or unsettling?
  • Why might wealthy patrons have wanted paintings like this in their homes?
  • What might Goya be saying about superstition rather than actual witches?

This painting is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Francisco Goya on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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