Francisco de Goya

Datos Generales
Cronología
Ca. 1797 - 1799
Dimensiones
215 x 150 mm
Técnica y soporte
Etching, burnished aquatint and drypoint
Reconocimiento de la autoría de Goya
Undisputed work
Ficha: realización/revisión
13 Dec 2010 / 29 May 2024
Inventario
225
Inscripciones

Brabisimo! (at the bottom)

 38. (in the upper right-hand corner)

Historia

See Francisco de Goya y Lucientes, Painter.

A proof before the letter presents three different inscriptions: one in sanguine that says Bravo; the second in ink that reads, Protege las Artes y dicen qe lo entiende, altered by se veque lo entiende; and a last one in black pencil, Protege las artes y se ve que lo entiende.

A preparatory drawing of this engraving is in the Prado Museum in Madrid.

Análisis artístico

A monkey plays a guitar upside down, i.e. on the side where the strings are not. In front of him sits a donkey who looks at him with an absorbed expression, who seems to be enjoying the recital offered by the ape. Behind him are two men applauding and laughing. 

The title of the engraving is loaded with irony and serves to ridicule the donkey who is absorbed in a concert in which music is not present, as the monkey is not playing the guitar. Through this image, Goya lashes out at those who would have us believe that they enjoy music and boast of being great music lovers, when in reality they are absolute laymen. This idea is corroborated in three of the manuscripts in which Los Caprichos is explained. In the one in the National Library, for example, it is said that "even donkeys applaud bad music out of fashion, when they see others who say brabísimo". 

In turn, this engraving has been interpreted as a veiled allusion to Charles IV and Maria Luisa of Parma, represented by the donkey, and to Manuel Godoy, who has been identified with the monkey, as the Prince of Peace gave private recitals to the kings in an attempt to win their favour.

This print continues the "donkeys" in The Caprices which Goya began in engraving no. 37, If the disciple knows better, and which concludes in no. 42, You who cannot.

Conservación

The plate is preserved in the National Chalcography (no.  209).

Exposiciones
  • El arte de Goya
    Museo de Arte Occidental de Tokio
    Tokyo
    1971
    from 16th 1971 to January 23th 1972. Exhibited also at the Kyoto Municipal Museum of Art, January 29th to March 15th 1972.
  • Goya. Das Zeitalter der Revolucionen. Kunst um 1800 (1980 – 1981)
    Hamburger Kunsthalle
    Hamburg
    1980
  • Goya. La década de Los Caprichos
    Madrid
    1992
    organized by Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando sponsored by Fundación Central Hispano, Madrid, consultant editor Nigel Glendinnig. From October 26th 1992 to January 10th 1993
  • Francisco de Goya
    Museo d'Arte Moderna
    Lugano
    1996
    exhibition celebrated from September 22nd to November 17th.
  • Ydioma universal: Goya en la Biblioteca Nacional
    Biblioteca Nacional
    Madrid
    1996
    from September 19th to December 15th 1996
  • Francisco Goya. Sein leben im spiegel der graphik. Fuendetodos 1746-1828 Bordeaux. 1746-1996
    Galerie Kornfeld
    Bern
    1996
    from November 21st 1996 to January 1997
  • Goya e la tradizione italiana
    Fondazione Magnani Rocca
    Mamiano di Traversetolo (Parma)
    2006
    consultant editors Fred Licht and Simona Tosini Pizzetti. From September 9th to December 3th 2006
  • Goya. Opera grafica
    Pinacoteca del Castello di San Giorgio
    Legnano
    2006
    exhibition celebrated from December 16th 2006 to April 1st 2007
  • Goya e Italia
    Museo de Zaragoza
    Zaragoza
    2008
    organized by the Fundación Goya en Aragóna, consultant editor Joan Sureda Pons. From June 1st to September 15th 2008
  • Goya luces y sombras
    CaixaForum
    Barcelona
    2012
    consultant editors José Manuel Matilla and Manuela B. Marqués. From March 16th to June 24th 2012
  • Goya et la modernité
    Pinacothèque de Paris
    París
    2013
    from October 11st 2013 to March 16th 2014
Bibliografía
  • HARRIS, Tomás
    Goya engravings and lithographs, vol. I y II.
    Bibliography']['number
    OxfordBruno Cassirer
    1964
    p.110, cat. 73
  • GASSIER, Pierre y WILSON, Juliet
    Vie et ouvre de Francisco de Goya
    Bibliography']['number
    ParísOffice du livre
    1970
    p.180, cat. 524
  • WILSON BAREAU, Juliet
    Goya, la década de los caprichos: dibujos y aguafuertes
    Bibliography']['number
    MadridReal Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando
    1992
    pp.217-220, cat. 221-223
  • SANTIAGO, Elena M. (coordinadora)
    Catálogo de las estampas de Goya en la Biblioteca Nacional
    Bibliography']['number
    MadridMinisterio de Educación y Cultura, Biblioteca Nacional
    1996
    p.94, cat. 127
  • BLAS BENITO, Javier, MATILLA RODRÍGUEZ, José Manuel y MEDRANO, José Miguel
    El libro de los caprichos: dos siglos de interpretaciones (1799-1999). Catálogo de los dibujos, pruebas de estado, láminas de cobre y estampas de la primera edición
    Bibliography']['number
    MadridMuseo Nacional del Prado
    1999
    pp.216-219
  • OROPESA, Marisa and RINCÓN GARCÍA, Wilfredo
    Bibliography']['number
    ParísPinacoteca de París
    2013
    p. 205
  • WILSON BAREAU, Juliet
    Goya. In the Norton Simon Museum
    Bibliography']['number
    PasadenaNorton Simon Museum
    2016
    pp. 42-75
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