Pilgrimage to the Fountain of San Isidro / The Holy Office

Francisco Goya's 'Pilgrimage to the Fountain of San Isidro' or 'The Holy Office' is an intriguing oil mural, created between 1821–1823. Bridging the traditional genre painting with elements of romanticism, this artwork stems from a series known as the Black Paintings, fourteen murals Goya directly applied in oil on his house's plaster walls. Embodying a dark, emotive tenor characteristic of romanticism, Goya's depiction of a pilgrimage unfolds in an atmosphere steeped in mystique. The processing of transferring these murals onto canvas — a sturdy, reliable base for oil-paintings — was overseen by Salvador Martinez Cubells, the art restorer for the Museo del Prado, between 1874–1878.