Bobalicón (Simpleton), 1816-1819
Francisco José de Goya y Lucientesexpand_more
Etching, burnished aquatint, and drypointexpand_more
The Ethel Morrison Van Derlip Fund, 1968expand_more P.68.386
Not on Viewexpand_more
In this famous nightmarish scene, a childlike giant dances toward two smaller figures, a frightened man hiding behind a taller female figure. Clicking his castanets, the colossus smiles with spine-chilling delight as two shrieking demons emerge from the darkness behind him. Goya highlighted the figure’s demonic smile, large chest, and castanets by using stopping-out varnish to prevent the acid from biting these passages so that they appear white against the richly aquatinted plate. In a preparatory drawing, the small, frightened man is depicted as a monk or priest hiding behind what might be an image of the Virgin Mary. Goya altered this detail in the print to create more ambiguity.
Details
- Title
- Bobalicón (Simpleton)
- Artist Life
- 1746–1828
- Role
- Artist
- Accession Number
- P.68.386
- Catalogue Raisonne
- H.251.III.1, D. 205 L.D. 2002-219
- Curator Approved
This record has been reviewed by our curatorial staff but may be incomplete. These records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.
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