Where was the wall in La Quinta del Sordo
that was transferred to the canvas
hanging in the Prado?

What did Goya see to paint the
half-submerged Dog that way.

It is an awesome minimalist painting
that shows only the head of a mutt
ears back, not upright and eager,
looking at a blank wall.

But not altogether blank. It looks worn, sooty
too high to see over, definitely stained.
The dog seems to be on some kind of slope
looking up,
looking quite forlorn.

The dog hears something
fearful to behold. The canvas is silent,
nothing left to tell.

How did Goya know
that the Dog would be the masterpiece
it is. He didn’t need to show the whole dog
for us to know, it wasn’t wagging its tail.