Hush (Chiton)
Original title: Plate 28 from "Los Caprichos": Hush (Chiton)
kurzbeschreibung
From Francisco de Goya's series Los Caprichos (1799), the etching Husch (Chiton) presents two figures in a desolate landscape. Executed in etching, aquatint, and burin engraving, it is one of the prints that satirically denounce social ills.
Description
In the foreground, two people stand. One, wrapped in a white robe and holding a staff, is seen from behind, wearing a hat, and turns to the left. The other, facing the viewer, has both hands pressed to their face, suggesting weeping or prayer. A tree rises behind them, its shadow falling on the ground. A flat landscape under a cloudy sky stretches into the distance. The arrangement is centered, with the figures dominating the sheet. Strong shadows, seemingly from a source at upper left, give the scene a gloomy, somber quality.
Context
The etching series Los Caprichos was made in the 1790s and published in 1799. Goya used it to indict superstition, ignorance, and social abuses in Spain. The 28th plate is titled Hush – meaning silence or the suppression of truth. The exact meaning of the image is not clearly documented, but it fits within the series' critical allegories.
Impact
Harsh contrasts of light and dark and the central placement of the figures create an oppressive mood. The covered hands and the turned-away posture of the second figure produce a quiet, heavy atmosphere that invites reflection.
Technique
The print combines etching, aquatint, and burin work. Aquatint allows fine tonal gradations, while etched lines precisely define contours and details. The plate measures 21.3 × 15.2 cm; the work is printed on paper sized 29.5 × 20.9 cm.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)