In the Footsteps of the Master. Zacharie Astruc: Admirer and Collector of Francisco de Goya

Zacharie Astruc (1833-1907) was an important artist and art critic of the second half of the 19th century. This article presents new data on a facet that has not been widely known until now: the one related to his early appreciation of the value of Francisco de Goya's work, especially after the trip he made to Spain in 1864. Thanks to the study of his notebooks and drawings, as well as various manuscripts preserved in the Archive du Musee d'Orsay (Paris), it has been possible to find out what works of Goya he contemplated in Spain and what his perception of them was. In his sketches he came to set two scenes in the Quinta del Sordo before the Black paintings were transferred onto canvas. Finally, thanks to the consultation of an auction catalogue of his collection, the article presents unpublished data on the role of Zacharie Astruc as a collector of Goya's works.