Goya's Restored Frescoes Revealed in Madrid Church, Artist Still Missing His Skull
A year-long renovation of the San Antonio de la Florida church in Madrid is nearly complete, restoring Francisco de Goya's 1798 frescoes. The church, built in the late 18th century by architect Filippo Fontana for Charles IV, will reopen with improved lighting and fresh paint. Restorers worked for months to revive the faded pigments. Architect Andrea San Valentin stated that the vision of the frescoes has improved enormously, allowing visitors to see the real colors. Goya painted the dome scene over six months, depicting Saint Anthony of Padua resurrecting a dead man, with ordinary Spanish townsfolk as witnesses—a revolutionary choice according to historian Ángel Balao. Goya's body was reburied at the church in 1919, but his skull was missing when exhumed in France. Theories include theft for phrenology, use by painter Dionisio Fierros in an 1849 painting, or Goya's request to be buried with the Duchess of Alba. The mystery continues to inspire artists.
Key facts
- Renovation of San Antonio de la Florida church in Madrid is nearly complete after a year.
- Frescoes painted by Francisco de Goya in 1798 depict Saint Anthony of Padua's miracle.
- Church built in late 18th century by Filippo Fontana for Charles IV.
- Andrea San Valentin oversaw the restoration.
- Goya's frescoes feature ordinary Spanish townsfolk, considered revolutionary.
- Goya's body reburied at the church in 1919.
- Goya's skull was missing when exhumed in Bordeaux, France.
- Theories about the missing skull include phrenology, use by Dionisio Fierros, or burial with Duchess of Alba.
Entities
Artists
- Francisco de Goya
- Filippo Fontana
- Dionisio Fierros
- Paul Petrie
- Francis Ribemont
Institutions
- San Antonio de la Florida
- Musée des Beaux Arts
- New Yorker
- New York Times
- Times of London
- Far Out magazine
- Smithsonian Magazine
Locations
- Madrid
- Spain
- Bordeaux
- France