Plate 3 from "Los Caprichos": Here comes the bogey-man (Que viene el Coco)
Original title: Plate 3 from "Los Caprichos": Here comes the bogey-man (Que viene el Coco)
kurzbeschreibung
This third print comes from Francisco de Goya's etching series Los Caprichos, published in 1799. A woman with two children is threatened by an eerie, shrouded figure. The etching with aquatint has a plate size of 21.3 × 15.1 cm.
Description
A seated woman holds one child on her lap while a second crouches beside her. From the right, a figure wrapped in a white cloth approaches the group menacingly. The dark, indistinct background makes the figures stand out clearly. At the bottom, the Spanish text reads 'Que viene el Coco'. Sharp contrasts of light and dark heighten the drama of the image.
Context
Los Caprichos comprises 80 etchings that Goya released in 1799. This print is among the satirical works that target superstition and childhood fears. The 'Coco' comes from Spanish folklore and was used to frighten children. Goya thereby criticized the child-rearing methods of his era.
Impact
The threatening figure and the children's search for protection evoke an oppressive mood. The strong contrasts between light and dark intensify the emotional tension and draw the viewer into the characters' fear.
Technique
Etching with burnished aquatint produces fine tonal gradations here. While aquatint creates soft, painterly effects, the etched lines precisely define the contours. Goya combined both techniques to achieve dramatic lighting effects.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)