Plate 19 from "Los Caprichos": All will fall (Todos Caerán)
Original title: Plate 19 from "Los Caprichos": All will fall (Todos Caerán)
kurzbeschreibung
This etching with aquatint from Goya's 'Los Caprichos' of 1799 measures 21.4 x 14.4 cm and presents a dark scene: three figures on the ground, with angels hovering above. The fall of all social classes is the subject of the print.
Description
Three figures lie on the ground. One of them, stretched out on his back, holds a puppet. Two others sit beside him, also on the ground. Above them hover several winged angels. Dark greys, harsh shadows, and strong contrasts define the image. The layout is asymmetrical: figures and angels press toward the center, while the two ground figures are distributed left and right.
Context
For 'Los Caprichos', Goya etched 80 plates that mock the foolishness and vices of Spanish society of his time. 'Alle werden fallen' was made in 1799, after a severe illness, when Goya increasingly targeted superstition and social ills. The series was withdrawn shortly after its release, likely because of its biting criticism of the nobility and the church.
Impact
Gloomy and rich in contrast, the print creates an oppressive mood that immediately grips the viewer. Grotesque figures and hovering angels together give it something surreal and dreamlike, almost nightmarish, that prompts reflection on the transience of human existence.
Technique
Etching with burnished aquatint – this process allows fine tonal gradations and a soft, painterly effect. Goya used it for deep shadows and subtle transitions that carry the dark mood of the subject.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)