Courtyard with Lunatics

Painted around the time of the French declaration of war on Spain, when Goya’s deafness and fear of mental illness were developing, he was exasperated by the oncoming war and increasingly complaining of his health. A contemporary diagnosis read, "the noises in his head and deafness aren’t improving, yet his vision is much better, and he is back in control of his balance." Yet, he was having a nervous breakdown and entering prolonged physical illness, and he admitted some of the works he created reflect his own self-doubt, anxiety and fear he was going mad. Goya said this small oil-on-tinplate was informed by scenes of institutions he observed as a youth in Zaragoza.