Los Caprichos [sixth edition]

The title of the 80-plate series Los Caprichos, literally “The Caprices,” would seem to indicate images of a lighthearted and whimsical nature. In the hands of Goya, one of the most significant figures in the history in Spanish art, however, the result is something entirely different. Equal parts satire, caricature, and social commentary, the plates of Los Caprichos were intended as condemnation of human folly, superstitions, and cruelty. Although many of the images and their captions continue to resist coherent interpretation, their biting wit and exceptionally humbling effect have a universal appeal that continues to amuse and moralize even today. Publication of this series firmly established Goya as one of the most incisive and original artistic minds of his time.

Asleep at his work table, the artist—identifiable by the etching tools at his side—dreams of swarming nocturnal creatures signifying ignorance, evil, and deceit. In the original publication of this print, which was intended as the frontispiece for the series, Goya provided this explanation: “Fantasy, abandoned by reason, produces impossible monsters; united with it, she is the mother of the arts and the origin of marvels.” Although Goya intended the image to be a commentary on the follies of society, as are the rest of the plates in Los Caprichos, it also locates unbridled imagination, in all its terror and thrill, at the heart of the creative process.