A pretty piece of advice
Original title: Plate 15 from "Los Caprichos": A pretty piece of advice (Bellos consejos)
kurzbeschreibung
Unlike many plates in Goya's Los Caprichos, which focus on single figures, "A Pretty Piece of Advice" (Bellos consejos) from 1799 presents a pair of seated women in a darkened room. The etching, executed in etching with burnished aquatint and burin, measures 21.5 × 15.1 cm in the plate.
Description
Two women sit side by side on chairs in a sparsely lit interior. The left one wears a long dark gown with a white sleeve, the right one a patterned dress; both have their hair tied in a bun. The right woman holds the left's hand, and both look in the same direction. Two more chairs and a wall suggest themselves in the darkness, though the space never fully takes shape. At the bottom, the title "Bellos consejos" appears in handwritten script.
Context
Part of the 80-plate series Los Caprichos, which Goya created in 1799 as a critique of superstition, social ills, and human folly, this print belongs to the group of "Sueños" (Dreams) that address social and moral questions. The series was released in 1799 as a "collection of prints on fantastic subjects" and expresses the artist's Enlightenment stance.
Impact
The subdued lighting and tight framing create an atmosphere both intimate and oppressive. The hand-holding feels tender, yet the women's deliberate gaze remains enigmatic and ironically fractured.
Technique
Goya combined etching, burnished aquatint, and burin work to merge fine lines with soft tonal gradations. Aquatint produces the dark, velvety areas, while the burin sets precise details in faces and fabrics.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)