The Straw Mannequin
The story
“The Straw Mannequin” was painted in 1791–1792. It is one of the cartoons by Francisco de Goya for tapestries for the king's study in the palace of El Escorial.
In “The Straw Mannequin” four girls stand in a circle and toss a life-size straw doll on a blanket. The doll is dressed as a dandy and falls with its arms and legs spread wide. The girls laugh, and behind them trees and sky can be seen.
Francisco de Goya paints a cheerful game, but the painting may also have a hidden meaning. Some see in the doll a man who is a plaything in the hands of women. Others see a person tossed about by fate.
It is one of his last works for tapestries. About fifteen years earlier he had painted the much calmer scene The Parasol.
Today “The Straw Mannequin” is in the Prado Museum in Madrid.
Interesting facts
The canvas measures 267 × 160 cm, oil.
It is a cartoon for a tapestry for the palace of El Escorial.
The straw doll is the size of a person.
