Goya's Card Players

Francisco de Goya's Los jugadores de naipes (The Card Players), painted around 1777–1778, shows young people playing cards outdoors beneath an awning. It is a tapestry cartoon: a painted model for a tapestry intended for the quarters of the Prince and Princess of Asturias at El Pardo Palace. The original painting is housed in the Museo del Prado.

What is a tapestry cartoon?

The Royal Tapestry Factory in Madrid commissioned life-sized paintings that weavers would copy thread by thread. Goya painted many of these cartoons early in his career, almost always featuring cheerful scenes of popular life: picnics, dances, games...

What is seen in the painting

Several "majos" (stylish members of the Spanish lower classes) are sitting on the ground with cards in their hands, while one character appears to be peeking at his opponent's cards from behind to signal his partner. It is a charming nod to age-old cheating.

Cards in art

Goya was not the only one. Card games appear in many Spanish paintings, from the Baroque period to 19th-century costumbrismo (art depicting local customs). We review this in card games in Spanish painting. And if you enjoy artistic decks, take a look at the artistic evolution of Spanish cards.