Contextualising Visual Research
An Analysis of Francisco Goya’s Los Caprichos
975 words / 848 without quotes
Within contemporary research it is particularly important that no event should be judged through a single viewpoint, or in this case, a single standard of time To fully understand the context and influence that an artwork has on (historically) political commentary and artistic progression, one should consider the standards of time (past and present) of which the artwork has significance in Through society’s
continuous evolution it is significant to reassess the context in which this artwork is in The artwork that will be analysed in this essay is Francisco Goya’s Los Caprichos1
“This marks the culmination of an intense period in the life of the painter, which had begun in 1792, when as a result of an illness suffered during his stay in Andalusia, he convalesced in the Cádiz residence of Sebastián Martínez, where he could contemplate English satirical prints that they would later influence his work “ 2
1
Produced from 1797 to 1798 and published for sale in February 1799, Los Caprichos was a natural development of Goya a collection of eighty politically concentrated and undoubtedly daring prints In which these prints are created, are from two processes etching and aquatint Etching requires a copper3 plate that is sketched into by a sharp needle, soaked in an acid bath, then ink is applied and run through a printing press with a sheet of paper. In regards to aquatint, areas of the plate are covered with powdered resin and dipped into acid in which a rough surface is left behind This allows for soft tones and washes on the prints that are created; Goya uses this to portray light and shadow Due to the4 production of these societally challenging prints Goya was referred to as the first modern artist Not only
Caprichos roughly translates to ‘impulses’ or ‘whims’
2 Written by J M Matilla in Goya en tiempos de guerra
3 The etchings were printed in Indian, Iron gall, and/or Grey ink on laid paper
4 It is important to note that Goya etched in tonal effects, rather than selective wiping or inking
did he present mythological and religious imagery, but also the psychology of people and how particularly vicious the upper class can be
Los Caprichos was created to expose the idiocy and hypocrisy that Goya had witnessed in Spanish high society As a court painter of three Spanish kings, he had intense and personal insight into the lifestyle and, as a result, often criticised the monarchy and church He often witnessed persecution of the innocent by the church, widespread prostitution, religious fraud, and abnormal superstitions As said by Janis Tomlinson, he was free to develop these subjects that have been officially censored from being defamed or shown This was the reason and motivation for Goya to use etching and aquatint as an experimental technique
According to Museo del Prado, Goya developed a unique artistic style in which he was free from the constraints of commissioned work through5 engraving he surpassed the artistic framework of his era to allow his prints to be timeless and read in contemporary key
Some themes can be seen within this series: folly of the upper class, social inequity and ignorance, relationship between man and woman, and human psychology Goya portrays these themes and his criticisms through the use of symbols such as representing donkeys and monkeys for fools, cats and bats
5 The preparatory drawings for Caprichos was executed with a freedom which is not always preserved in related engravings, aimed at the public at large
for evil spirits or witches, goblins and demons for evil ones and some clergy members, owls for foolishness , the carozza (dunce cap) for the accused, and the lynx for an all seeing figure The use of6 aquatint shows his subject matter through light and shade, suggesting drama and theatre - the accused were illuminated in a bright light whereas evil forces were shrouded in darkness
“ Rays of light issue from his head and link him with this luminous arc This light is the light of Reason or Enlightenment and is intended ‘to banish harmful beliefs commonly held’. The drawing, therefore, symbolically contrasts light to darkness, reality to dream, and enlightenment to superstitious beliefs “7
One notable plate was that of number forty three, The sleep of reason produces monsters (1797) The sleeping artist himself is haunted by these creatures of the night, phantasmagorical imagery, that includes owls, bats, and a lynx Beneath his arm lies papers, paintbrushes, and pens an owl prods the artist with his equipment, forcing him to produce work The implication of this print is suggested in its imagery to put reason to sleep (favouring personal desire and emotion over rationality and scientific reason) produces monsters, though in retrospect dreaming about reason (the exacerbation of reason) also produces monsters In a
6 Though owls may be seen as wise nowadays, owls were seen as foolish during that era This plays into the consideration of historical context
7 Written by Frank I Heckes in Goya’s Caprichos
narrower sense, the arrogance of science can lead to madness if reason itself is worshipped as a new religion; the self assertion of reason is itself a myth
“Invention is no longer a conscious process that the artist might control: it is now a force that controls or speaks through the artist ”8
The production of these prints were extremely risky. During the 19th century, people could be easily executed for disagreement with the Catholic church and upper class Goya used his relationship with Charles IV, king of Spain, to protect himself and his views from any possible backlash After he had put the prints for sale , he had withdrew it from the public and sold it privately to Charles IV for his son ’ s9 pension It has been speculated that the Inquisition had came into contact, in which fear led him to withdraw the series From a contemporary perspective, it can be viewed as a reflection of our own society for us to keep in mind of what surrounds us. Even today Goya’s images are controversial they are purposely shocking and exposing It might cause conflict but from an angle of the greater good, it inspires change and development Our contemporary, moral and ethical diversions do not appear to be of much difference to that of Goya’s age Today’s social media allows everyone to voice their opinion and particular distaste to whatever or whomever in Goya’s shadow, the public speaks out in the form of social media, whereas Goya used his eighty prints to portray his loathing of the society that surrounds him.
8 Written by Janis Tomlinson in Francisco Goya y Lucientes 1746 1828 9 Twenty seven had been sold