Nada (Nothing)
1810/1820
Medium
etching, aquatint and lavis with burnishing (proof) on laid paper
Dimensions
sheet: 22.2 × 32.1 cm (8 3/4 × 12 5/8 in.) plate: 15.3 × 19.5 cm (6 × 7 11/16 in.)
Classification
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Rosenwald Collection
Accession Number
1943.3.4718
Art Historical Context
Francisco Goya's *Nada (Nothing)*, created between 1810 and 1820, is a poignant print from the Spanish master's late career, a period marked by the turmoil of the Peninsular War and Spain's Napoleonic occupation. As a leading figure in Romanticism, Goya shifted from court portraiture to raw, unflinching depictions of human suffering, blending satire with profound humanism. This work exemplifies his innovative printmaking, using etching for precise lines, aquatint moody tonal depths, lavis for subtle wash effects, and burnishing to soften highlights—techniques that allowed extraordinary express...
About the Artist
Francisco Goya
Francisco Goya, born on March 30, 1746, in the small Aragonese village of Fuendetodos, Spain, to a gilder father and a mother from a family claiming minor nobility, displayed artistic promise early. At age 14, he apprenticed under painter José Luzán y Martínez in Zaragoza, honing his skills by copying prints before working independently. After unsuccessful attempts to enter Madrid's Real Academia ...