Plate 16 from 'Los Caprichos': For heaven's sake: and it was her mother (Dios la Perdone: Y era su madre)

Original title: Plate 16 from 'Los Caprichos':For heaven's sake: and it was her mother (Dios la Perdone: Y era su madre)

Artist: Goya (Francisco de Goya y Lucientes)
Date: 1797–98
Medium: Etching, aquatint, drypoint
Dimensions: Plate: 7 7/8 × 5 7/8 in. (20 × 15 cm) Sheet: 10 1/2 × 7 13/16 in. (26.6 × 19.9 cm)
Credit line: The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1952

kurzbeschreibung

Francisco de Goya made this print as the sixteenth etching in his series 'Los Caprichos' in 1797–98. A woman in traditional dress with a handkerchief and fan appears — part of Goya's satirical attack on the social ills of his time.

Description

Your eye is first drawn to the woman placed centrally, turned slightly to the left and gazing into the distance. She wears a cap and a coat over a long black dress, holding a handkerchief and a fan. A dark mountain landscape looms behind her. The light falls dimly, creating a murky mood; the palette stays monochrome in various shades of gray.

Context

Created between 1797 and 1798, the etching was published in 1799 as part of the series 'Los Caprichos'. Goya addressed social abuses, superstition, and the position of women in Spanish society. This print refers to prostitution and the responsibility of mothers — a motif that recurs several times in the series.

Impact

The gloomy atmosphere and the ironic title leave a contradictory impression and prompt reflection. A realistic rendering with a satirical edge is typical of Goya's critical view of his era.

Technique

Goya combined etching, aquatint, and drypoint, which allows fine gradations of gray and soft transitions. Aquatint creates flat tonal areas, while drypoint provides precise lines and highlights details such as the face and clothing.

AI-generated description text

Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)