Two women helping a confessor to climb through a window; folio 78 (verso) from the Madrid Album "B"
Original title: Two women helping a confessor to climb through a window; folio 78 (verso) from the Madrid Album "B"
kurzbeschreibung
Two women help a confessor climb through a window. Francisco de Goya drew this scene in 1796–98 with brush and carbon black on paper; the sheet belongs to Madrid Album B.
Description
A man identified as a confessor is supported by two women as he climbs through a window. The woman on the left wears a dress with long sleeves and an apron; the one on the right, a long robe with a veil. In his hand the confessor holds a flower. Light fills the interior, bringing out the contours of the figures and the window. The layout is clear and focuses on the interplay of the three people; the colouring remains in shades of grey.
Context
Goya made the drawing during his time at the Madrid court, where he served as court painter from 1789. Madrid Album B is one of several sketchbooks Goya assembled in the 1790s. Such sheets often served as preparatory studies for larger works or as independent records of everyday life. He repeatedly took up the relationship between clergy and common people, often with an ironic undertone.
Impact
The restrained palette and simple arrangement make the sheet immediate and intimate. It conveys a mixture of care and quiet comedy without tipping into caricature. The calm execution directs the eye to the gestures of those involved and the casual nature of the event.
Technique
For this work Goya used brush and point of brush with carbon black washes on paper. This allows subtle gradations between light and dark, making the figures stand out plastically. The washed areas create soft transitions and emphasise the lighting within the interior.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)