Plate 73 from 'The Disasters of War' (Los Desastres de la Guerra): 'Feline pantomime' (Gatesca pantomima)

Original title: Plate 73 from "The Disasters of War" (Los Desastres de la Guerra): 'Feline pantomime' (Gatesca pantomima)

Artist: Goya (Francisco de Goya y Lucientes)
Date: 1814–15 (published 1863)
Medium: Etching, burin, burnisher
Dimensions: Plate: 6 7/8 × 8 3/8 in. (17.4 × 21.2 cm) Sheet: 9 5/8 × 13 9/16 in. (24.4 × 34.5 cm)
Credit line: Purchase, Jacob H. Schiff Bequest, 1922

kurzbeschreibung

Goya's etching 'Cat Pantomime' (Gatesca pantomima) is the 73rd plate from his series 'The Disasters of War' (Los Desastres de la Guerra). It was made in 1814–15 and first published in 1863. It depicts a cat on a stack of books, a bird with outstretched wings hovering above, and two figures in the background engaged in conversation.

Description

A cat rests on a pile of books; above it hovers a bird with spread wings. Two figures in the background appear to be talking. The arrangement is realistic, with highly detailed contours. Delicate highlights pick out figures and objects, while lines and hatching build textures and shadows. The color remains monochrome, as is typical for an etching.

Context

This plate belongs to the years following the Napoleonic Wars in Spain (1808–1814), during which Goya worked on his series 'The Disasters of War'. The series was not published until 1863, after the artist's death, by the Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando in Madrid. Plate 73 is part of a group of allegorical and fantastic scenes at the end of the series. The title 'Cat Pantomime' refers to the satirical tradition of using animals to expose human follies.

Impact

The calm, almost intimate mood of this print contrasts with the often brutal war scenes in the series. The cat, the books, and the hovering bird create a surreal, slightly ironic atmosphere. Finest lines and restrained light give the image a quiet, almost elegant note.

Technique

The print is executed as an etching, with additions in drypoint and burnishing. These techniques allow fine lines and precise hatching to bring out the textures of the books, the cat's fur, and the bird's wings. The monochrome print uses the contrast of black and white to render light and shadow with subtle differentiation.

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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)