Barbarous Entertainment
Original title: 'Barbarous Entertainment', a blind guitarist on the horns of a bull
kurzbeschreibung
Between 1800 and 1804 Francisco de Goya made the etching Barbarisches Vergnügen, though it was not published until 1828–1867. It shows a blind guitarist riding an upright bull. The print combines etching, aquatint and drypoint on laid paper.
Description
A man making music sits on a rearing bull. He wears a cap, jacket and trousers, holds a guitar, and his legs are placed on the animal in a lively pose. The bull has raised horns and a lifted tail tip. Black-and-white tones dominate the image, with clear light-and-dark contours. The background remains flat and without detail, so the figures stand out in the foreground.
Context
During this period Goya engaged intensively with Spanish society and its customs. This print belongs to a series of graphic works that appeared only after his death. The blind musician on the bull takes up the motif of bullfighting, a tradition long established in Spain. Goya repeatedly addressed the cruelty and absurdity of such popular entertainments.
Impact
Asymmetry and the bull's dynamic pose create immediate tension. The contrast between the musician's precarious position and his apparent calm is unsettling. Strong light-dark contrasts heighten the image's dramatic expressiveness.
Technique
For this print Goya combined etching, aquatint and drypoint on laid paper. Aquatint allows fine tonal gradations, while drypoint sets precise lines and textures. The black-and-white rendering is typical of these printmaking methods.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)