Francisco de Goya

Look at what you record!

Clasificación
Look at what you record!
Datos Generales
Cronología
Ca. 1797 - 1799
Dimensiones
215 x 163 mm
Técnica y soporte
Aguafuerte, aguatinta y punta seca
Reconocimiento de la autoría de Goya
Undisputed work
Ficha: realización/revisión
29 Dec 2010 / 29 May 2024
Inventario
225
Inscripciones

Miren que grabes! (at the bottom)

63. (in the upper right-hand corner)

 Goya (in the bottom left-hand corner).

Historia

See Francisco de Goya y Lucientes, Painter.

A proof before the letter is preserved in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. In the first printings the title ends in a full stop instead of an exclamation mark.

The preparatory drawing for this engraving is in the Prado Museum.

Análisis artístico

Two monstrous beings with the head of an ass and the body of an ape, standing on their hindquarters, carry two other equally deformed figures on their shoulders. The one in the foreground has the head of an eagle and the body of a man, with claw-like hands and fingers interlaced in prayer. Somewhat further back is another figure with a human body and face and the ears of a donkey. The scene takes place on a plain, in the background of which a crowd of people can be seen watching this peculiar image.

In this print Goya used aquatint in a single tone, while he made extensive use of etching to define the hairy bodies of the animals carrying other monstrous beings on their shoulders, as well as the sky.

The explanations provided by the manuscripts of this engraving have some nuances that make them different. The Ayala manuscript states the following: "Two beastly figures are exercising on horseback. The one is famous for his devotion and the other for his thievery". In the Museo Nacional del Prado manuscript, the explanation is more oriented towards witchcraft: "The print indicates that these two witches of convenience and authors have gone out for a bit of exercise on horseback". Finally, the manuscript in the Biblioteca Nacional comments on this engraving as follows: "One sees nothing in the world but monstrosities: two monstrous beasts carry two people on their shoulders: the one appears to be brave, but a thief; the other a fanatic, but a savage. Such are the kings and chief magistrates of the people; and with all this they call them from afar; they acclaim them and entrust the government to them".

In short, one might think that this engraving virulently denounces the abuses of authority and those who despotically exercise power. It was precisely they who fostered ignorance among the people, making them incapable of freeing themselves from this yoke.

Conservación

The plate is preserved in the National Chalcography (no.  234).

Exposiciones
  • Goya. Das Zeitalter der Revolucionen. Kunst um 1800 (1980 – 1981)
    Hamburger Kunsthalle
    Hamburg
    1980
  • Goya. La década de Los Caprichos
    Madrid
    1992
    organized by Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando sponsored by Fundación Central Hispano, Madrid, consultant editor Nigel Glendinnig. From October 26th 1992 to January 10th 1993
  • Francisco de Goya
    Museo d'Arte Moderna
    Lugano
    1996
    exhibition celebrated from September 22nd to November 17th.
  • Francisco Goya. Sein leben im spiegel der graphik. Fuendetodos 1746-1828 Bordeaux. 1746-1996
    Galerie Kornfeld
    Bern
    1996
    from November 21st 1996 to January 1997
  • Goya artista de su tiempo y Goya artista único
    The National Museum of Western Art
    Tokyo
    1999
    from December 1st to July 3th 1999
  • Goya e la tradizione italiana
    Fondazione Magnani Rocca
    Mamiano di Traversetolo (Parma)
    2006
    consultant editors Fred Licht and Simona Tosini Pizzetti. From September 9th to December 3th 2006
  • Goya. Opera grafica
    Pinacoteca del Castello di San Giorgio
    Legnano
    2006
    exhibition celebrated from December 16th 2006 to April 1st 2007
  • Goya et la modernité
    Pinacothèque de Paris
    París
    2013
    from October 11st 2013 to March 16th 2014
Bibliografía
  • HARRIS, Tomás
    Goya engravings and lithographs, vol. I y II.
    OxfordBruno Cassirer
    1964
    p.140, cat. 98
  • GASSIER, Pierre y WILSON, Juliet
    Vie et ouvre de Francisco de Goya
    ParísOffice du livre
    1970
    p.183, cat. 577
  • WILSON BAREAU, Juliet
    Goya, la década de los caprichos: dibujos y aguafuertes
    MadridReal Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando
    1992
    pp.198-199, cat. 117
  • SANTIAGO, Elena M. (coordinadora)
    Catálogo de las estampas de Goya en la Biblioteca Nacional
    MadridMinisterio de Educación y Cultura, Biblioteca Nacional
    1996
    p.107, cat. 153
  • BLAS BENITO, Javier, MATILLA RODRÍGUEZ, José Manuel y MEDRANO, José Miguel
    El libro de los caprichos: dos siglos de interpretaciones (1799-1999). Catálogo de los dibujos, pruebas de estado, láminas de cobre y estampas de la primera edición
    MadridMuseo Nacional del Prado
    1999
    pp.322-325
  • OROPESA, Marisa and RINCÓN GARCÍA, Wilfredo
    ParísPinacoteca de París
    2013
    p. 231
  • WILSON BAREAU, Juliet
    Goya. In the Norton Simon Museum
    PasadenaNorton Simon Museum
    2016
    pp. 42-75
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