An old woman spinning, spindle in her right hand, distaff in her left
Original title: An old woman spinning, spindle in her right hand, distaff in her left
kurzbeschreibung
An old woman spins, the thread guided by her left hand, the spindle held in her right. Francisco de Goya captured this activity in a lithograph in 1819. Seated on a simple wooden chair, she is entirely focused on her work. The print belongs to a series of lithographs Goya created in Madrid.
Description
Centered on a plain wooden chair, the old woman fills the entire image. Her clothing is unadorned and practical, a headscarf covering her hair. Her right hand holds the spindle, while her left winds the thread. The background remains sparse, directing the viewer's gaze solely to the figure. At the bottom of the sheet appear the signature 'Lithographie par Goya' and the date 'Madrid Febrero 1819'.
Context
In 1819, during his late period, Goya turned increasingly to printmaking in Madrid. After a severe illness, he devoted himself to everyday scenes and ordinary people. Lithography was still a young technique at the time, which he explored experimentally. Thus this work emerged as part of a series in which he made the new technology his own.
Impact
Quiet and contemplation define the image: the woman is completely absorbed in her task. Because the surroundings are reduced to the bare essentials, the dignity of the working person stands out. A familiar, almost wistful atmosphere arises.
Technique
In pen lithography, one draws directly on the stone with pen and ink. Goya used this technique to capture with fine strokes the structures of face and clothing precisely. The process via the stone allowed him an immediate drawing translation, without intermediate steps.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)