Even thus he cannot make her out (Ni asi la distingue)
Original title: Plate 7 from "Los Caprichos": Even thus he cannot make her out (Ni asi la distingue)
kurzbeschreibung
Ni así la distingue – Even thus he cannot make her out – belongs to Francisco de Goya's etching series Los Caprichos, published in 1799. A woman and a man are seen in a confidential encounter, while a third person sits on a chair in the background. The plate was executed as an etching with aquatint and drypoint.
Description
In the foreground a woman places her hand on her breast, a man steps toward her and touches her, while behind them another woman has taken a seat on a chair. The layout is asymmetrical and draws the eye to the meeting of the standing pair with the man. A restrained scale of greys and subdued light lend the view a dramatic quality; the figures are carefully worked out so that surfaces and facial expressions stand out.
Context
The print was made in 1799 within Goya's Caprichos, a series that satirically targets social ills and human follies. It deals with the inability to grasp a person's true nature – a motif that recurs often in Enlightenment criticism. Goya was then working as court painter in Madrid and used printmaking as an outlet for his critical observations.
Impact
The matte light and precise drawing create an intimate yet oppressive mood. Standing before the print, viewers are drawn into the action and feel the tension between those involved. The monochrome reinforces the serious, brooding tone of the work.
Technique
The image was printed as an etching with aquatint and drypoint on paper. Only the interplay of these processes allows fine lines and soft tonal steps. The plate measures 19.6 x 14.8 cm, the sheet 29.5 x 21 cm.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)