Generosity versus Greed; a woman and three men conducting a transaction inside a shop; folio 76 (recto) from the Madrid Album "B"
Original title: Generosity versus Greed; a woman and three men conducting a transaction inside a shop; folio 76 (recto) from the Madrid Album "B"
kurzbeschreibung
A shop interior where a woman and three men carry out a transaction. Francisco de Goya y Lucientes captured this moment around 1796–98 using brush and point of brush with carbon black washes. The sheet is numbered 76 (recto) and comes from Madrid Album B.
Description
A woman in a headscarf and patterned dress stands in the right foreground, her gaze directed toward the men. Two of them sit at a table, while a third kneels before it, placing something down. Goods or packages rest on the tabletop. Another seated figure watches from the background. The arrangement runs across the sheet, drawing attention to the table. Frontal light clearly separates figures and objects from the ground.
Context
This sheet belongs to Goya's Madrid Album B, a series of sketches made in 1796–98 during his stay in Madrid. Everyday scenes are recorded there, often with a socially critical edge and moralizing titles. Goya used these album sheets like a personal notebook for observations of Spanish life. A later dating cannot be ruled out but cannot be confirmed.
Impact
Because the drawing is limited to black and white, the moment feels immediate and almost documentary. Clear lighting and careful execution create a calm, observant mood; viewers are prompted to reflect on the actions depicted.
Technique
Goya worked with brush and point of brush as well as carbon black washes on paper. This method allows fine gradations between light and dark; the washes create soft transitions and give the figures plastic volume. At 23.5 x 14.6 cm, the format remains small, suggesting an intimate execution.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)