Playing at Giants

'Playing at Giants' is a dynamic work by Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes, a pioneer of the Romanticism movement. In this genre painting, Goya uses his adept skill to depict a lively scene of children masquerading as adults, a subject matter underscored with the romantic notion of childhood innocence. Goya employs oil as his medium, painting directly onto a canvas to capture the spontaneous mood and the rich textures of the scene. The overall impact of the piece adds a touch of whimsy to Goya's catalog, varying from his better-known war pieces and complex Black Paintings.