A Nun Frightened by a Ghost Playing a Guitar; page 65 from the "Images of Spain" Album (F)
Original title: A nun frightened by a ghost playing a guitar; page 65 from the "Images of Spain" Album (F)
kurzbeschreibung
Drawn around 1812–20 by Francisco de Goya y Lucientes, this sheet belongs to the album 'Images of Spain' (F). Executed in brown ink and black chalk, it presents an older figure in traditional dress with a guitar, while a younger person crouches on the ground in fright.
Description
Two figures emerge from the paper in shades of brown and black. The elder, wearing a headscarf and Spanish attire, bends over a guitar. Facing her sits a younger person, also traditionally dressed and with head covered, whose gaze turns upward full of terror or worry. Laid out sparingly and sketchily, the emphasis falls on posture and the tension between the two. Marked on the sheet are the numbers '65' and '37', indicating a fixed sequence within a collection.
Context
The sheet counts among Goya's album 'Images of Spain', a series of drawings from 1812 to 1820. In these late years, the artist turned increasingly away from court duties and devoted himself to satirical and fantastic subjects. A nun frightened by a ghostly guitar-playing apparition fits his interest in superstition and social criticism. What the drawing was exactly for is not recorded; it shows, however, how Goya conjures a tellable situation with a few strokes.
Impact
The sparse colouring and loose line give the sheet an immediate, almost caricature-like presence. From the younger figure's fright arises a mix of comedy and unease that draws the viewer into the action. That Goya captures psychology and atmosphere with such minimal means makes the drawing a telling document of his late graphic work.
Technique
The sheet is executed with brush and point of brush in brown ink washes, as well as black chalk. Fluid washes meet fine hatching, creating textures and giving the figures volume. The paper measures about 20.5 × 14.4 cm, a small format usual for Goya's album sheets, which he worked with a rapid, spontaneous touch.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)