Plate 30 from "Los Caprichos": Why hide them? (Porque esconderlos?)
Original title: Plate 30 from "Los Caprichos": Why hide them? (Porque esconderlos?)
kurzbeschreibung
Unlike most plates in the Caprichos, which place their figures in allegorical settings, this thirtieth print presents a concrete group of laughing people and a kneeling figure with a hidden little bag. The 1799 etching with aquatint and drypoint belongs to Goya's eighty-part series and takes satirical aim at human folly and social hypocrisy.
Description
In the foreground a figure in light clothing kneels, clutching a small bag and looking tense. Behind, four figures stand laughing or grinning, one wearing a top hat. The figures crowd into a tight space, yet the kneeling person's expression stands out sharply against the cheerful group. Brown and black tones dominate the monochrome image, as is typical of aquatint. Engraved at the bottom: "Porque esconderlos?"
Context
Created between 1797 and 1799, Goya's Caprichos fall into a period of profound social change in Spain. The 80 etchings scourge superstition, corruption, and social ills. In 1799 the series was published as an album, but was soon withdrawn from sale because of its satirical content. Plate 30 is among those Caprichos that target human vices and the absurdities of everyday life.
Impact
Comedy and unease merge when the kneeling figure's oppressed posture meets the laughing background figures. The clear contrast of light and dark draws the eye to the central action and sharpens the satirical point. The print reads like a moral lesson that prompts the viewer to reflect.
Technique
Etching with burnished aquatint and drypoint allows fine tonal gradations and a soft, painterly effect. The aquatint provides the gray areas, while drypoint adds precise lines and details. The plate measures 21.4 x 15.1 cm, the sheet 29.5 x 21 cm, as is usual for the Caprichos series.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)