Up and down

A goat-legged satyr sitting on the globe lifts a figure dressed as a soldier into the air. He carries a sword at his belt, his legs are bare and smoke is rising from his head. From his hands, bolts of fire shoot out, which he hurls at his opponents around him, who fall into the void. They are those who were once exalted and are now overthrown by the new rising figure.

By using aquatint over the entire surface of the print, the painter has created a dark scene in which the losers fall. In addition, by using the varnish reserves, he has highlighted the white gleams on the personage on top and on the satyr who is lifting him up. The burnisher has been used in the smoke on the head and the fire in the hands.

This engraving is explained in Ayala's manuscript as follows: "Prince of Peace. Lust lifts him up by his feet; he fills his head with smoke and wind, and fires lightning bolts at his emulators (...)". In the Prado Museum's engraving no. 56, we are told the following: "Fortune treats those who give her as a gift very badly. It pays with smoke for the fatigue of climbing, and punishes those who have climbed by precipitating them". The one in the National Library states the following: "The Prince of Peace, lifted up by lust, and with his head full of smoke, vibrates lightning bolts against the good ministers. These fall and the ball rolls; which is the story of the favourites".

All three manuscripts agree that this is an allusion to Manuel Godoy (Badajoz, 1767-Paris, 1851), who came to power partly because he was the lover of Queen Maria Luisa of Parma (Parma, 1751-Rome, 1819). Godoy gradually removed from office many of the Enlightenment ministers, some of whom formed part of Francisco de Goya's circle of friends, such as Gaspar Melchor de Jovellanos (Gijón, 1744-Vega, 1811), Francisco de Saavedra y Sangronis (Seville, 1746-Seville, 1819), José de Moñino y Redondo, Count of Floridablanca (Murcia, 1728-Seville, 1808) and Pedro Pablo Abarca de Bolea, the Count of Aranda (Siétamo, Huesca, 1719-Épila, 1798).

Beyond any specific allusion, the painter intended to capture in an allegorical manner the political instability in Spain, where political posts were ephemeral and some were replaced by others, sometimes for entirely futile reasons. In this way, it was not possible to take measures of any depth, nor to undertake reforms with a future perspective.

Edwin Palm, who has analysed this engraving from an iconographic point of view, believes that the figure in the foreground raising the fire-thrower is a clear allusion to Pan, the god of lust, as well as a reference to Spain itself. Etymologically, Hispania could be identified as the country of Pan. We would therefore be looking at the image of Spain which, in turn, would refer us to the lust of Queen María Luisa, infatuated with Manuel Godoy, who governed the destiny of the country at many times.