Folly of Fear (ca. 1815–19 (published 1864))
Original title: 'Folly of Fear' from the 'Disparates' (Follies / Irrationalities)
kurzbeschreibung
Francisco de Goya y Lucientes made 'Narrheit der Angst' (from the series 'Disparates') around 1815–19, but the print was not published until 1864. The etching, combined with aquatint and drypoint, leads into a dark forest setting at night, where a hooded figure and several people lying on the ground can be seen.
Description
A figure wrapped in a long, translucent robe stands in the foreground, like a ghost or shadow seeking shelter or hiding. Behind it, several people lie on the ground, marked by panic or despair, while another person clutches a stick or weapon. A bare tree with thin, branching limbs reinforces the eerie mood. Grays dominate; sparse light from the upper left models shadows and contours.
Context
The 'Disparates' (also 'Follies' or 'Irrationalities') were created between 1815 and 1819, when Spain was shaken by political turmoil after the Bourbon Restoration. During Goya's lifetime, the printing plates remained unpublished; only in 1864 did the Royal Academy of San Fernando posthumously present the series. The prints are considered a critical examination of human follies and fears, often with dreamlike, surreal features.
Impact
The somber tonality and sparse light create a menacing, almost uncanny atmosphere that draws the viewer directly into the fear of those depicted. The shrouded figure and the people lying on the ground are disturbing and leave room for interpretations of the underlying madness or irrationality.
Technique
Etching with burnished aquatint and drypoint—this process allows fine textures and graduated gray tones. The combination of techniques enables both soft transitions and precise lines, with which the details of the figures and the forest are worked out.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)