''Los caprichos'' (''The Caprices)'' is a set of 80 prints in

aquatint Aquatint is an intaglio (printmaking), intaglio printmaking technique, a variant of etching that produces areas of tone rather than lines. For this reason it has mostly been used in conjunction with etching, to give both lines and shaded tone. ...

and

etching Etching is traditionally the process of using strong acid or mordant to cut into the unprotected parts of a metal surface to create a design in intaglio (incised) in the metal. In modern manufacturing, other chemicals may be used on other types ...

created by the Spanish artist

Francisco Goya Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes (; ; 30 March 174616 April 1828) was a Spanish romantic painter and printmaker. He is considered the most important Spanish artist of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. His paintings, drawings, and e ...

in 1797–1798, and published as an album in 1799. The prints were an artistic experiment: a medium for Goya's condemnation of the universal follies and foolishness in the Spanish society in which he lived. The criticisms are far-ranging and acidic; the images expose the predominance of superstition, the ignorance and inabilities of the various members of the ruling class, pedagogical short-comings, marital mistakes and the decline of rationality. Some of the prints have

anticlerical Anti-clericalism is opposition to religious authority, typically in social or political matters. Historical anti-clericalism has mainly been opposed to the influence of Roman Catholicism. Anti-clericalism is related to secularism, which seeks to ...

themes. Goya described the series as depicting "the innumerable foibles and follies to be found in any civilized society, and from the common prejudices and deceitful practices which custom, ignorance or self-interest have made usual". Goya added brief explanations of each image to a manuscript, now in the Museo del Prado, which help explain his often cryptic intentions, as do the titles printed below each image. Despite the relatively vague language of Goya's captions in the ''Caprichos'', as well as Goya’s public announcement that his themes were from the “extravagances and follies common to all society,” they were likely interpreted as references to well-known governmental and/or aristocratic figures. As he explained in the announcement, Goya chose subjects “from the multitude of follies and blunders common in every civil society, as well as from the vulgar prejudices and lies authorized by custom, ignorance or interest, those that he has thought most suitable matter for ridicule". Nonetheless, the ''Caprichos'' were withdrawn from sale after a brief period of time. The work was a tour-de-force critique of 18th-century Spain, and humanity in general, from the point of view of the Enlightenment. The informal style, as well as the depiction of contemporary society found in ''Caprichos'', makes them (and Goya himself) a precursor to the

modernist Modernism is both a philosophy, philosophical and arts movement that arose from broad transformations in Western world, Western society during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The movement reflected a desire for the creation of new fo ...

movement almost a century later. '' The Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters'' in particular has attained an iconic status. Goya's series, and the last group of prints in his series '' The Disasters of War'', which he called "caprichos enfáticos" ("emphatic caprices"), are far from the spirit of light-hearted fantasy the term "

caprice Caprice, from the Italian ''capriccio'', may refer to: Art and entertainment * ''Caprice'' (1913 film), a film starring Mary Pickford * ''Caprices'' (film), a 1942 French comedy film * ''Caprice'' (1967 film), a film starring Richard Harris ...

" usually suggests in art.

History

''Los caprichos'' were withdrawn from public sale very shortly after their release in 1799, after only 27 copies of the set had been purchased. In 1803, Goya offered the ''Caprichos copper plates and the first edition's unsold sets to King Charles IV in return for a pension for his son. (subscription required) Later in life, Goya wrote that he had felt it prudent to withdraw the prints from circulation due to the

Inquisition The Inquisition was a group of institutions within the Catholic Church whose aim was to combat heresy, conducting trials of suspected heretics. Studies of the records have found that the overwhelming majority of sentences consisted of penances, ...

.Boime, 264 Subsequently, the set has been very influential, and not only in the visual arts. Its influence can be seen, for example, in: * Granados' piano suite '' Goyescas'', a work which has entered the standard piano repertory since its 2 parts were premiered in 1911 and 1914 respectively. It includes a number called ''El amor y la muerte'' (a title shared with no. 10 of the ''caprichos'') *

Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco (3 April 1895 – 16 March 1968) was an Italian composer, pianist and writer. He was known as one of the foremost guitar composers in the twentieth century with almost one hundred compositions for that instrument. In ...

's guitar work ''24 caprichos de Goya'', Op. 195 (1961)

Gallery

File:Museo del Prado - Goya - Caprichos - No. 01 - Autorretrato. Francisco Goya y Lucientes, pintor.jpg, Capricho No. 1: ''Francisco Goya y Lucientes, pintor'' (''Francisco Goya y Lucientes, painter'') File:Museo del Prado - Goya - Caprichos - No. 02 - El si pronuncian y la mano alargan al primero que llega.jpg, Capricho No. 2: ''El sí pronuncian y la mano alargan al primero que llega'' (''They say yes and give their hand to the first comer'') File:Museo del Prado - Goya - Caprichos - No. 03 - Que viene el Coco.jpg, Capricho No. 3: ''Que viene el coco'' (''Here comes the bogeyman'') File:Museo del Prado - Goya - Caprichos - No. 04 - El de la rollona.jpg, Capricho No. 4: ''El de la Rollona'' (''Nanny's boy'') File:Museo del Prado - Goya - Caprichos - No. 05 - Tal para qual.jpg, Capricho No. 5: ''Tal para cual'' (''Two of a kind'') File:Museo del Prado - Goya - Caprichos - No. 06 - Nadie se conoce.jpg, Capricho No. 6: ''Nadie se conoce'' (''Nobody knows himself'') File:Museo del Prado - Goya - Caprichos - No. 07 - Ni asi la distingue.jpg, Capricho No. 7: ''Ni así la distingue'' (''Even thus he cannot make her out'') File:Museo del Prado - Goya - Caprichos - No. 08 - Que se la llevaron!.jpg, Capricho No. 8: ''¡Que se la llevaron!'' (''So they carried her off!'') File:Museo del Prado - Goya - Caprichos - No. 09 - Tantalo.jpg, Capricho No. 9: ''Tántalo'' (''

Tantalus Tantalus ( grc, Τάνταλος ) was a Greek mythological figure, most famous for his punishment in Tartarus: he was made to stand in a pool of water beneath a fruit tree with low branches, with the fruit ever eluding his grasp, and the wate ...

'') File:Museo del Prado - Goya - Caprichos - No. 10 - El amor y la muerte.jpg, Capricho No. 10: ''El amor y la muerte'' (''Love and death'') File:Museo del Prado - Goya - Caprichos - No. 11 - Muchachos al avío.jpg, Capricho No. 11: ''Muchachos al avío'' (''Lads making ready'') File:Museo del Prado - Goya - Caprichos - No. 12 - A caza de dientes.jpg, Capricho No. 12: ''A caza de dientes'' (''Out hunting for teeth'') File:Museo del Prado - Goya - Caprichos - No. 13 - Estan calientes.jpg, Capricho No. 13: ''Están calientes'' (''They are hot'') File:Museo del Prado - Goya - Caprichos - No. 14 - Que sacrificio!.jpg, Capricho No. 14: ''¡Qué sacrificio!'' (''What a sacrifice!'') File:Museo del Prado - Goya - Caprichos - No. 15 - Bellos consejos.jpg, Capricho No. 15: ''Bellos consejos'' (''Good advice'') File:Museo del Prado - Goya - Caprichos - No. 16 - Dios la perdone - Y era su madre.jpg, Capricho No. 16: ''Dios la perdone: y era su madre'' (''For Heaven's sake: and it was her mother'') File:Museo del Prado - Goya - Caprichos - No. 17 - Bien tirada está.jpg, Capricho No. 17: ''Bien tirada está'' (''It is nicely stretched'') File:Museo del Prado - Goya - Caprichos - No. 18 - Y se le quema la Casa.jpg, Capricho No. 18: ''Y se le quema la casa'' (''And the house is on fire'') File:Museo del Prado - Goya - Caprichos - No. 19 - Todos Caerán.jpg, Capricho No. 19: ''Todos caerán'' (''Everyone will fall'') File:Museo del Prado - Goya - Caprichos - No. 20 - Ya van desplumados.jpg, Capricho No. 20: ''Ya van desplumados'' (''There they go plucked'') File:Museo del Prado - Goya - Caprichos - No. 21 - ¡Qual la descañonan!.jpg, Capricho No. 21: ''¡Cual la descañonan!'' (''How they pluck her!'') File:Museo del Prado - Goya - Caprichos - No. 22 - Pobrecitas!.jpg, Capricho No. 22: ''¡Pobrecitas!'' (''Poor little girls!'') File:Museo del Prado - Goya - Caprichos - No. 23 - Aquellos polbos.jpg, Capricho No. 23: ''Aquellos polvos'' (''Those specks of dust'') File:Museo del Prado - Goya - Caprichos - No. 24 - No hubo remedio.jpg, Capricho No. 24: ''No hubo remedio'' (''There was no help'') File:Museo del Prado - Goya - Caprichos - No. 25 - Si quebró el Cantaro.jpg, Capricho No. 25: ''Si quebró el cántaro'' (''He broke the pitcher'') File:Museo del Prado - Goya - Caprichos - No. 26 - Ya tienen asiento.jpg, Capricho No. 26: ''Ya tienen asiento'' (''Now they are sitting well'') File:Museo del Prado - Goya - Caprichos - No. 27 - Quien más rendido?.jpg, Capricho No. 27: ''¿Quién más rendido?'' (''Who more is surrendered?'') File:Museo del Prado - Goya - Caprichos - No. 28 - Chiton.jpg, Capricho No. 28: ''Chitón'' (''Hush'') File:Museo del Prado - Goya - Caprichos - No. 29 - Esto si que es leer.jpg, Capricho No. 29: ''Esto sí que es leer'' (''Now that's reading'') File:Museo del Prado - Goya - Caprichos - No. 30 - Porque esconderlos?.jpg, Capricho No. 30: ''¿Por qué esconderlos?'' (''Why hide them?'') File:Museo del Prado - Goya - Caprichos - No. 31 - Ruega por ella.jpg, Capricho No. 31: ''Ruega por ella'' (''She prays for her'') File:Museo del Prado - Goya - Caprichos - No. 32 - Por que fue sensible.jpg, Capricho No. 32: ''Porque fue sensible'' (''Because she was susceptible'') File:Museo del Prado - Goya - Caprichos - No. 33 - Al Conde Palatino.jpg, Capricho No. 33: ''Al conde palatino'' (''To the

count palatine A count palatine (Latin ''comes palatinus''), also count of the palace or palsgrave (from German ''Pfalzgraf''), was originally an official attached to a royal or imperial palace or household and later a nobleman of a rank above that of an or ...

'') File:Museo del Prado - Goya - Caprichos - No. 34 - Las rinde el Sueño.jpg, Capricho No. 34: ''Las rinde el sueño'' (''Sleep overcomes them'') File:Museo del Prado - Goya - Caprichos - No. 35 - Le descañona.jpg, Capricho No. 35: ''Le descañona'' (''She fleeces him'') File:Museo del Prado - Goya - Caprichos - No. 36 - Mala noche.jpg, Capricho No. 36: ''Mala noche'' (''A bad night'') File:Museo del Prado - Goya - Caprichos - No. 37 - Si sabrá mas el discipulo?.jpg, Capricho No. 37: ''¿Si sabra más el discípulo?'' (''Might not the pupil know more?'') File:Museo del Prado - Goya - Caprichos - No. 38 - Brabisimo!.jpg, Capricho No. 38: ''¡Bravísimo!'' (''Bravissimo!'') File:Museo del Prado - Goya - Caprichos - No. 39 - Asta su Abuelo.jpg, Capricho No. 39: ''Hasta su abuelo'' ('' And so was his grandfather'') File:Museo del Prado - Goya - Caprichos - No. 40 - De que mal morira?.jpg, Capricho No. 40: ''¿De qué mal morirá?'' (''Of what ill will he die?'') File:Museo del Prado - Goya - Caprichos - No. 41 - Ni mas ni menos.jpg, Capricho No. 41: ''Ni más ni menos'' (''Neither more nor less'') File:Museo del Prado - Goya - Caprichos - No. 42 - Tu que no puedes.jpg, Capricho No. 42: ''Tú que no puedes'' (''Thou who cannot'') File:Museo del Prado - Goya - Caprichos - No. 43 - El sueño de la razon produce monstruos.jpg, Capricho No. 43: ''El sueño de la razón produce monstruos'' ('' The Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters'') File:Museo del Prado - Goya - Caprichos - No. 44 - Hilan delgado.jpg, Capricho No. 44: ''Hilan delgado'' (''They spin finely'') File:Museo del Prado - Goya - Caprichos - No. 45 - Mucho hay que chupar.jpg, Capricho No. 45: ''Mucho hay que chupar'' (''There is plenty to suck'') File:Museo del Prado - Goya - Caprichos - No. 46 - Correccion.jpg, Capricho No. 46: ''Corrección'' (''Correction'') File:Museo del Prado - Goya - Caprichos - No. 47 - Obsequio á el maestro.jpg, Capricho No. 47: ''Obsequio al maestro'' (''A gift for the master'') File:Museo del Prado - Goya - Caprichos - No. 48 - Soplones.jpg, Capricho No. 48: ''Soplones'' (Snitches) File:Museo del Prado - Goya - Caprichos - No. 49 - Duendecitos.jpg, Capricho No. 49: ''Duendecitos'' (''Hobgoblins'') File:Museo del Prado - Goya - Caprichos - No. 50 - Los Chinchillas.jpg, Capricho No. 50: ''Los Chinchillas'' (''The Chinchillas'') File:Museo del Prado - Goya - Caprichos - No. 51 - Se repulen.jpg, Capricho No. 51: ''Se repulen'' (''They spruce themselves up'') File:Museo del Prado - Goya - Caprichos - No. 52 - Lo que puede un Sastre!.jpg, Capricho No. 52: ''¡Lo que puede un sastre!'' (''What a tailor can do!'') File:Museo del Prado - Goya - Caprichos - No. 53 - Que pico de Oro!.jpg, Capricho No. 53: ''¡Que pico de oro!'' (''What a golden beak!'') File:Museo del Prado - Goya - Caprichos - No. 54 - El Vergonzoso.jpg, Capricho No. 54: ''El vergonzoso'' (''The shameful one'') File:Museo del Prado - Goya - Caprichos - No. 55 - Hasta la muerte.jpg, Capricho No. 55: ''Hasta la muerte'' (''Until death'') File:Museo del Prado - Goya - Caprichos - No. 56 - Subir y bajar.jpg, Capricho No. 56: ''Subir y bajar'' (''To rise and to fall'') File:Museo del Prado - Goya - Caprichos - No. 57 - La filiacion.jpg, Capricho No. 57: ''La filiación'' (''The filiation'') File:Museo del Prado - Goya - Caprichos - No. 58 - Tragala perro.jpg, Capricho No. 58: ''Trágala, perro'' (''Swallow it, dog'') File:Museo del Prado - Goya - Caprichos - No. 59 - Y aun no se van!.jpg, Capricho No. 59: ''¡Y aún no se van!'' (''And still they don't go!'') File:Museo del Prado - Goya - Caprichos - No. 60 - Ensayos.jpg, Capricho No. 60: ''Ensayos'' (''Trials'') File:Museo del Prado - Goya - Caprichos - No. 61 - Volaverunt.jpg, Capricho No. 61: ''Volavérunt'' (''They have flown'') File:Museo del Prado - Goya - Caprichos - No. 62 - Quien lo creyera!.jpg, Capricho No. 62: ''¡Quién lo creyera!'' (''Who would have thought it!'') File:Museo del Prado - Goya - Caprichos - No. 63 - Miren que grabes!.jpg, Capricho No. 63: ''¡Miren que graves!'' (''Look how solemn they are!'') File:Museo del Prado - Goya - Caprichos - No. 64 - Buen Viage.jpg, Capricho No. 64: ''Buen viaje'' (''Bon voyage'') File:Museo del Prado - Goya - Caprichos - No. 65 - Donde vá mamá?.jpg, Capricho No. 65: ''¿Dónde va mamá?'' (''Where is mommy going?'') File:Museo del Prado - Goya - Caprichos - No. 66 - Allá vá eso.jpg, Capricho No. 66: ''Allá va eso'' (''There it goes'') File:Museo del Prado - Goya - Caprichos - No. 67 - Aguarda que te unten.jpg, Capricho No. 67: ''Aguarda que te unten'' (''Wait till you've been anointed'') File:Museo del Prado - Goya - Caprichos - No. 68 - Linda maestra!.jpg, Capricho No. 68: ''Linda maestra'' (''Pretty teacher'') File:Museo del Prado - Goya - Caprichos - No. 69 - Sopla.jpg, Capricho No. 69: ''Sopla'' (''Gust the wind'') File:Museo del Prado - Goya - Caprichos - No. 70 - Devota profesion.jpg, Capricho No. 70: ''Devota profesión'' (''Devout profession'') File:Museo del Prado - Goya - Caprichos - No. 71 - Si amanece, nos Vamos.jpg, Capricho No. 71: ''Si amanece, nos vamos'' (''When day breaks we will be off'') File:Museo del Prado - Goya - Caprichos - No. 72 - No te escaparás.jpg, Capricho No. 72: ''No te escaparás'' (''You will not escape'') File:Museo del Prado - Goya - Caprichos - No. 73 - Mejor es holgar.jpg, Capricho No. 73: ''Mejor es holgar'' (''It is better to be lazy'') File:Museo del Prado - Goya - Caprichos - No. 74 - No grites, tonta.jpg, Capricho No. 74: ''No grites, tonta'' (''Don't scream, stupid'') File:Museo del Prado - Goya - Caprichos - No. 75 - ¿No hay quien nos desate?.jpg, Capricho No. 75: ''¿No hay quién nos desate?'' (''Can't anyone unleash us?'') File:Museo del Prado - Goya - Caprichos - No. 76 - ¿Está Vm… pues, Como digo… eh! Cuidado! si no!....jpg, Capricho No. 76: ''Está vuestra merced... pues, como digo... ¡eh! ¡cuidado! si no...'' (''You understand?... Well, as I say... eh! Look out! Otherwise...'') File:Museo del Prado - Goya - Caprichos - No. 77 - Unos á otros.jpg, Capricho No. 77: ''Unos a otros'' (''What one does to the other'') File:Museo del Prado - Goya - Caprichos - No. 78 - Despacha, que dispiértan.jpg, Capricho No. 78: ''Despacha, que despiertan'' (''Be quick, they are waking up'') File:Museo del Prado - Goya - Caprichos - No. 79 - Nadie nos ha visto.jpg, Capricho No. 79: ''Nadie nos ha visto'' (''No one has seen us'') File:Museo del Prado - Goya - Caprichos - No. 80 - Ya es hora.jpg, Capricho No. 80: ''Ya es hora'' (''It is time'')

Notes

References

* Albert Boime, ''A Social History of Modern Art''.

University of Chicago Press The University of Chicago Press is the largest and one of the oldest university presses in the United States. It is operated by the University of Chicago and publishes a wide variety of academic titles, including ''The Chicago Manual of Style'', ...

, 1991. . * John J. Ciofalo, "Quixotic Dreams of Reason." ''The Self-Portraits of Francisco Goya''.

Cambridge University Press Cambridge University Press is the university press of the University of Cambridge. Granted letters patent by King Henry VIII in 1534, it is the oldest university press in the world. It is also the King's Printer. Cambridge University Pre ...

, 2001. * Francisco Goya, ''Los Caprichos''. New York: Dover Publications, 1969.

External links

''Caprichos''
(PDF in th
Arno Schmidt Reference Library

Translation of the 1799 Advertisement for sale of the seriesPruebas de estado
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Caprichos, Los 1799 books 1797 prints 1798 prints Capric 18th-century etchings Satirical works Anti-clerical art

History

Gallery

See also

Notes

References

Further reading

External links