Francisco de Goya y Lucientes, Painter, plate one from Los Caprichos

Art Historical Context

Behold *Francisco de Goya yientes, Painter*, the inaugural plate from Francisco José de Goya yientes's groundbreaking series *Los Caprich*, created between 1797 and 1799. This etching and aquat on cream laid paper captures Goya himself at work, a self-portrait that sets the tone for the series' bold exploration of human folly, superstition, and vices in late 18th-century Spain As a pivotal figure in the transition from Enlightenment rationalism to Romanticism,oya used these prints to critique the absurdities of his time, blending sharp satire with haunting realism. The medium—etching for precise lines combined with aquatint for rich tonal gradations—was revolutionary, allowing Goya to achieve painterly effects in printmaking rarely seen before. Measuring just 13.6 × 11.2 cm in its image area, this intimate work invites close viewing, much like the whispered scandals it lampoons. Housed in the Art Institute of Chicago's Prints and Drawings department, it exemplifies Goya's mastery in transforming personal reflection into universal commentary, making *Los Caprichos* one of art history's most influential print series.

About the Artist

Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes · 1746–1828

Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes was born on March 30, 1746, in the small Aragonese village of Fuendetodos, Spain, to José Benito de Goya, a master gilder, and Gracia de Lucientes. The fourth of six children in a modest lower-middle-class family, Goya received a basic education before beginning his artistic training at age 14 under the local painter José Luzán y Martínez in Zaragoza, where he sp...