Two brothers killing their sister's lover in her presence; folio 77 (recto) from the Madrid Album "B"
Original title: Two brothers killing their sister's lover in her presence; folio 77 (recto) from the Madrid Album "B"
kurzbeschreibung
This drawing from Goya's Madrid Album 'B' (1796–98) stages a violent act: two brothers kill their sister's lover while she is present. The sheet is executed with pen and brush, washed in carbon black on paper. The moment of the deed is captured indoors.
Description
A dark room, with a lighter zone in the background. On the floor lies the lover, threatened by two brothers with a weapon. The sister sits beside him, visibly struck. Bodies are in violent motion, reinforced by hatching and lines. The layout is strikingly uneven, heightening the tension. Dim light and gray tones give the mood a somber feel.
Context
Created between 1796 and 1798, when Goya was living in Madrid after a severe illness in 1792/93 that left him partially deaf. The sheet belongs to the Madrid Album 'B', a series of drawings dealing with social and human abysses. Goya kept these albums as personal sketchbooks, without commission or intention of publication. Violence and its psychological consequences recur often in his later work.
Impact
From the first glance, tension grips the viewer: light falls sparingly, the figures' movement is abrupt, the gaze is pulled between the threatening brothers and the sister sitting on the floor. The uneven arrangement allows no calm; the few gray tones feel menacing and inescapable. Nothing distracts—you are in the midst of the action.
Technique
Goya worked with brush and point of brush, applying carbon black as a wash on paper. This allowed fine transitions from light to dark, crucial for the effect of light and shadow. The quick, sure brushstrokes give the figures motion and show Goya's confident handling of the medium.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)