An Old Man Delousing a Boy Accompanied by Three Figures, a Cat in the Foreground; page 40 from the 'Images of Spain' Album (F)
Original title: An old man delousing a boy accompanied by three figures, a cat in the foreground; page 40 from the "Images of Spain" Album (F)
kurzbeschreibung
This print departs from related sheets that present delousing as a straightforward genre scene. Goya draws three more figures and a cat into the action, so the old man freeing the boy of vermin becomes part of a larger, loosely arranged group. Executed in brush and brown ink around 1812–20, the gathering feels casual, almost incidental, yet every placement is carefully weighed.
Description
On the left the old man sits, a cap on his head, his jacket marked with a red cross. The boy has taken a place on a bench, a bandage around his forehead. Three people recline in shifting postures, and near the bench a cat's head rests. A dark curtain and a window divide the room. Brown and gray tones dominate, with light coming dimly from outside.
Context
The sheet belongs to the album 'Images of Spain' (F), made during the years of restoration in Spain. At that time Goya turned his attention to daily life and social imbalances. Lice and their removal were a standard part of genre painting in the period.
Impact
The closeness of the figures and the subdued light create a quiet, reflective atmosphere. Anyone looking at the sheet becomes a reserved observer of an intimate act. Nothing forces itself forward; everything remains watchful.
Technique
For this sheet Goya used brush and brown ink in a wash technique on paper. The diluted application allows soft transitions and a fleeting, sketch-like hand. At 20.5 x 14.6 cm, the sheet shows the spontaneity that marks the artist's work.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)