Volaverunt

Preparatory drawing for the Caprice 61. Volaverunt. The drawing does not allow the subject to be captured as accurately as the engraving, and there are also notable differences: In the drawing the sorcerers are only two, while in the print there are three, and the woman, instead of flying as in the etching, seems to take a determined stride above the sorcerer who is looking at the viewer.

As for the flying position, Goya is given to repeating it, as can be seen in Caprice 46.  Correction, and Capriche 52, What a Tailor Can Do. cholars have unanimously agreed that this composition depicts the Duchess of Alba being carried in flight by a series of witches/warlocks. One could also compare the figure of the woman, who unfurls her veils to fly, with the drawing Nightmare (E.20) from Notebook E, or Black-bordered, of a similar subject, but with profound differences in conception.