Plate 79 from "Los Caprichos": No one has seen us (Nadie nos ha visto)
Original title: Plate 79 from "Los Caprichos": No one has seen us (Nadie nos ha visto)
kurzbeschreibung
In a gloomy room, several people have gathered in secret—this is what we see in plate 79 of Francisco de Goya's 1799 print series 'Los Caprichos'. The etching with aquatint and burin belongs to a set of 80 satirical plates that denounce human follies and social ills.
Description
A group of figures in dark, shadowy clothing crowds together in an interior; some hold glasses, one kneels on the ground. Behind them looms a large, sinister figure who seems to be watching the gathering. Grays and blacks dominate the image, the light is dim and falls pointedly on faces and hands. The arrangement is asymmetrical: the central figures are framed by the dominant background figure. At the bottom edge of the sheet is the Spanish inscription 'Nadie nos ha visto' (Nobody has seen us).
Context
'Los Caprichos' was created between 1797 and 1799, when Spain under Charles IV was shaken by political and social upheaval. Goya used printmaking to caricature superstition, corruption, and the follies of Spanish society. Plate 79 belongs to the second half of the series, which focuses more on human vices and social grievances. The series was published by subscription in 1799 but was soon withdrawn—probably because of its sharp criticism of the church and nobility.
Impact
An oppressive, mysterious mood hangs over the plate, intensified by the dark tonality and the menacing background figure. The viewer is drawn into a world of mistrust and secrecy that touches on the darker sides of human behavior.
Technique
Goya combined etching, burnished aquatint, and burin to merge fine lines with soft tonal gradations. Aquatint allowed him broad areas of shadow, while the burin provided precise details in faces and hands. The plate was printed on paper measuring 29.5 × 20.8 cm, with the plate itself measuring 21.2 × 14.9 cm.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)