Revenge on Constable Lampiños; page 86 from the "Images of Spain" Album (F)
Original title: Revenge on Constable Lampiños; page 86 from the "Images of Spain" Album (F)
kurzbeschreibung
Around a table, a group of figures gathers, seemingly at a meal. Goya drew this between about 1812 and 1820 using brush and washes in brown and gray. It belongs to the album 'Images of Spain' and is part of a series of sketches that capture scenes of Spanish everyday life.
Description
Several figures in traditional Spanish dress sit around a table, some appear to be moving. The layout is animated: the people act and react in different directions. Brown tones dominate the palette, produced by brown ink and gray accents. Diffuse light brings out shadows and contours of the figures. The drawing style emphasizes details of clothing and faces, while the background is limited to the table and the things on it.
Context
The drawing falls in the years after the Napoleonic Wars in Spain, when Goya increasingly turned to private albums. The album 'Images of Spain' (F) is one of a series of sketchbooks the artist assembled between 1812 and 1820. The title names an act of revenge against a police officer, hinting at social tensions of the time. Goya was then mostly in Madrid, where he worked as court painter.
Impact
The few tonal values and the tightly packed group create an intimate, almost oppressive mood. The way the people are arranged gives the image a narrative tension that draws the viewer in. The draftsmanship directs attention to the expressions and gestures of those depicted.
Technique
Goya used brush and brown ink washes, supplemented by gray ink accents. The paper measures 20.6 × 14.4 cm, suggesting a compact, spontaneous working method. With washed ink, shading could be laid in quickly, vividly rendering light and volume.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)