The series of 80 prints entitled Los Caprichos, which belongs to the National Gallery\u2019s permanent collections, was purchased along with the rest of Francisco Goya’s print series in 1961 by the then director Marinos Calligas and is the first -and one of two (along with Bullfights)- that were exhibited while the artist was alive.
The unique proposition of this exhibition, organised around thematic sections, lies in the accompanying presentation, under the original prints, of photographs of the surviving preparatory drawings, the majority of which come from the Prado Museum. The connection between prints and their preparatory drawings is important as examining these drawings often reveals to us a narrative element that Goya ultimately chose to suppress in the print, retaining perhaps only a suggestive title.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The print series titled Los Caprichos, or The Caprices, published by Francisco Goya in early 1799, marks a significant turning point in the artist\u2019s creative journey. For the first time, the official painter of the Spanish Court allows himself the freedom to express a revolutionary, mature style, unbound by the limitations of public commissions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Inspired by the intellectual and philosophical ideals of the Enlightenment \u2013reason, progress, and freedom\u2013 Goya draws his subjects from the realities of his time. He focuses on the most provocative aspects of the social and political landscape around him, delivering a relentless critique of the darker sides of late 18th-century Spanish society. Through Los Caprichos, he condemns vanity, hypocrisy in human relationships, prostitution, and the ignorance and misery of common people trapped in a world of superstition and witchcraft. He also exposes the sluggishness and corruption of the conservative, obscurantist Church, which wielded the Inquisition as a tool of subjugation. With biting satire, he mocks the ignorance and greed of doctors, teachers, and judges, indirectly criticising the Crown\u2019s authority. Goya creates imaginary depictions of witchcraft, bringing forth a creative vision that encompasses demonic dimensions \u2013the offspring of reason\u2019s descent into darkness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Goya frequently uses distortion as a tool to explore the darker aspects of the human psyche. His figures often have exaggerated, grotesque facial features, and he vividly portrays the decay of old age, particularly in the naked bodies of witches. Faces and bodies are twisted, their ugliness and zoomorphic qualities reflecting mental distortions and passions. These figures straddle the line between imagination and reality, brought to life in dramatically lit scenes enhanced by Goya\u2019s masterful use of the aquatint technique.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Significant evolution in Goya\u2019s thinking is sometimes observed between his preparatory sketches and the final version of the corresponding Capricho. Examining these sketches often reveals a narrative element that Goya ultimately chose to suppress in the engraving, such as the clear sexual innuendo of a monk’s enormous phallic nose or the hermaphroditic features of the mask on a bride’s apron while recording her family tree. The unique proposition of this exhibition, organised around thematic sections, lies in the accompanying presentation, under the original prints, of photographs of the surviving preparatory drawings, the majority of which come from the Prado Museum.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One realises that these are works addressed to modern humanity, perennially relevant, as their critique of the ills of a distant society transcends their historical moment, granting them universal relevance. The lasting modernism of Los Caprichos continues to captivate us through its visual power, prompting reflection on the persistent nature of human passions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
From 22.1.2025 to 4.2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Curator: Katerina Tavantzi<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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The series of 80 prints entitled Los Caprichos, which belongs to the National Gallery\u2019s permanent collections, was purchased along with the rest of Francisco Goya’s print series in 1961 by […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":228443,"template":"","class_list":["post-225211","ekthesi","type-ekthesi","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n