Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on October 2011

Canvasses by Spanish master Francisco de Goya (1746–1828) make a rare trip from Madrid’s Prado museum to Tokyo. With his subtle eye for psychological nuance and depictions of the suffering of ordinary people caught up in the Napoleonic Wars, Goya is viewed as a precursor to modern painting. Focusing on the themes of light and shadow, this exhibition explores Goya’s rise from a humble background to Spanish court painter via 123 works from the Prado as well as Japanese museums.

The National Museum of Western Art, through Jan 29 (listing).