1797/99
Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes Spanish, 1746-1828
Spain
The Caprices, a series of 88 etchings produced by Goya between 1797 and 1799, forms a critical response to human vices and intolerances of the time. The monsters, which inhabit a familiar 17th-century landscape, are representations of the demons born from religion and power. The cast of miscreants is often depicted committing acts of evil. In this print a naked, plump witch is being carried away by a group of dark and nefarious creatures. Her cat anxiously holds on to a parasol as an owl between a pair of legs implausibly supports the entire misbegotten band.
Etching and aquatint on ivory laid paper