Plate 17 from "Los Caprichos": It is nicely stretched (Bien tirada está)
Original title: Plate 17 from "Los Caprichos": It is nicely stretched (Bien tirada está)
kurzbeschreibung
Two women in a dim room: one stands and leans down toward the other, who crouches on the floor with her face covered by a cloth. Goya's etching 'Bien tirada está' from 1799 belongs to the 'Los Caprichos' series and combines aquatint with drypoint.
Description
A standing woman in a long dress with her hair pulled up bends over a seated figure wrapped in a robe; a cloth hides her face. The room stays dark, with only weak light entering from the upper left. Grays dominate the image, the contours are sharp, the lines detailed. The visible paper texture underscores the etched character.
Context
As part of 'Los Caprichos', which Goya created between 1797 and 1799, plate 17 offers satirical criticism of social ills. The title 'Bien tirada está' can refer to prostitution, a recurring motif in the series. Although Goya was then employed as court painter, the Caprichos show his detached attitude toward Spanish society.
Impact
The sparse lighting and the veiled figure create an oppressive, enigmatic mood. The restrained colors and clear lines focus the gaze on the interaction between the two women and encourage reflection.
Technique
The print was made as an etching with aquatint and drypoint (burnished aquatint, burin) on paper. This process allows fine transitions between light and shadow, which are crucial for the dramatic effect. The plate measures 21.4 x 15 cm, the sheet 29.4 x 21 cm.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)