Plate 36 from "Los Caprichos": A bad night (Mala noche) (1881–86)
Original title: Plate 36 from "Los Caprichos": A bad night (Mala noche)
kurzbeschreibung
Within Francisco de Goya's print series Los Caprichos, plate 36 bears the title Mala noche (A Bad Night). This etching with burnished aquatint, made around 1810–1820, presents a figure wrapped in a garment, caught in a violent, tumbling motion against a dark ground.
Description
A single figure in light clothing appears, its form shaped by a wind-like movement. The person seems to fall or tumble, underscored by dynamic lines and billowing fabric. A dark, undefined background emphasizes the figure's isolation. The strongly asymmetrical layout heightens the sense of unrest. The monochrome gray palette creates a somber, menacing mood.
Context
Los Caprichos was created between 1797 and 1799 and first published in 1799. In it, Goya addressed social ills, superstition, and human folly of his time. Plate 36 belongs to the later numbers of the series, which grow increasingly dark and pessimistic. Etching with burnished aquatint was a technique Goya used extensively for the first time in this cycle.
Impact
The falling, isolated figure evokes an oppressive feeling of forlornness and threat. The asymmetrical arrangement and dark areas intensify the sense of unease and hopelessness. The restriction to gray tones makes the image appear timeless and universal.
Technique
The plate was executed as an etching with burnished aquatint, which allows fine lines and soft tonal gradations. The aquatint produces the stepped gray values in the background and in the figure's garment. The dynamic effect arises from the interplay of etched lines and the grainy tonal areas of the aquatint.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)