Francisco de Goya

That the rope breaks

Clasificación
That the rope breaks
Datos Generales
Cronología
Ca. 1820 - 1823
Ubicación
The Prado National Museum. Madrid, Madrid, Spain
Dimensiones
145 x 203 mm
Técnica y soporte
Sanguine on laid paper
Reconocimiento de la autoría de Goya
Undisputed work
Titular
El Prado National Museum
Ficha: realización/revisión
04 Jan 2011 / 01 Jun 2023
Inventario
(D.3982)
Inscripciones

32 (in the bottom left-hand corner)

Historia

See Sad forebodings of what is to come.

This drawing, like the set of preparatory drawings for the rest of the engravings in the series, was part of the Carderera collection and subsequently passed to the Prado National Museum, where it is now kept.

Análisis artístico

The sketch shows few modifications with respect to the print, although these are really important for the interpretation of the image. In it, the figure walking on the tightrope wears a papal tiara which has been removed from the print. This suggests that Goya was referring to Pope Pius VII and that, when he undertook the execution of the print, he decided to avoid this explicit allusion, which could have caused him quite a few problems.

He also kept one of the buildings in the background in the engraving, which in the preparatory drawing are several and are projected in depth. In this way he clears the space and concentrates the attention on the figure who is walking and balancing on the rope. In the preparatory drawing, the faces of those who are carefully observing the scene have not been outlined with the same precision as in the print.

Exposiciones
  • Goya. Das Zeitalter der Revolucionen. Kunst um 1800 (1980 – 1981)
    Hamburger Kunsthalle
    Hamburg
    1980
  • Goya y la Constitución de 1812
    Museo Municipal de Madrid
    Madrid
    1982
    organized by Madrid Town Hall, consultant editor José Manuel Pita Andrade. From December 1982 to January 1983
  • Ydioma universal: Goya en la Biblioteca Nacional
    Biblioteca Nacional
    Madrid
    1996
    from September 19th to December 15th 1996
  • Goya en tiempos de guerra
    Museo Nacional del Prado
    Madrid
    2008
    consultant editor Manuela B. Mena Marqués, from April 14th to July 13th 2008
  • Madrid
    2019
  • Goya
    Basle
    2021
Bibliografía
  • SÁNCHEZ CANTÓN. Francisco Javier
    Bibliography']['number
    MadridMuseo del Prado
    1954
    n. 137
  • GASSIER, Pierre y WILSON, Juliet
    Vie et ouvre de Francisco de Goya
    Bibliography']['number
    ParísOffice du livre
    1970
    cat. 1129
  • GASSIER, Pierre
    Dibujos de Goya, 2 vols
    Bibliography']['number
    BarcelonaNoguer
    1975
    cat. 225
  • BLAS BENITO, Javier and MATILLA, José Manuel
    El Libro de los Desastres de la Guerra
    Bibliography']['number
    MadridMuseo del Prado
    2000
    pp.8-9
  • MATILLA, José Manuel y MENA, Manuela B. (comisarios)
    Bibliography']['number
    MadridMuseo Nacional del Prado
    2019
    pp. 210-211
Enlaces externos
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