Over the Thanksgiving holiday I spent several days in Boston, and I was able to get to the Museum of Fine Arts to see the Goya exhibit. (Fun fact: on days when the museum closes at 4:45, you can get in free starting at 4 pm—a perfect length of time if you’re just going to one exhibit.)

When Goya (1746 – 1828) was 46, he contracted a mysterious disease that caused him to become deaf. Historians aren’t sure what it was. It may have been a viral encephalitis. It may have been lead poisoning, the result of massive amounts of lead white pigment that he ground himself, and used for priming canvases. It was so cool to see the above painting in real life. It’s a self portrait of the artist with his doctor, Arrieta, who is gently supporting the sick painter and offering him medicine.

I also got to see this one, of the Duchess of Alba. Goya painted the Duchess–a famous beauty– several times, but this one, from 1797, is one of my favorites. I love how she’s pointing down at the sand, at an inscription that says something along the lines of “Only Goya could have painted this.” (My Spanish-speaking daughter came along, and translated it for me.)

The exhibit runs through January 19th, and is well worth a visit. (Especially if you can get there at 4 pm for free!)