Man in Despair before a Dead Child (Hombre desesperado ante un niño muerto)

For a complete artistic and technical analysis of the whole series, see Maja and Celestina.

This is one of the more colourful miniatures in this series, painted on a dark background in red, blue, yellow and white hues which contrast with the dramatic theme of the work. A man, in despair, clutches his hands to his head and emits a terrible cry of pain, the lifeless body of a child, face down, prostrated on his lap.

The mysterious subject, the technique and size of this work convinced Salas that it was Goya's work, and Gudiol agreed, including it in the re-edition of his catalogue of Goya's work.