Goya

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Francisco de Goya was one of the other print makers discussed in class who made bold statements through his works. Goya was born in March 1746 in Spain and died in April 1828. He is considered to be “The Father of Modern Art.” What set Goya apart from the other painters and print makers of the time was that he was not shy at expressing what he felt. He worked at taking the previous reactions that art caused and created a new form, incorporating components into his art that would get a different type of reaction. Goya spent 82 years producing art, leading to some of the most expressive works of his time.

As a young boy, it was said that Goya was happy with the world. It was not until he entered adulthood in which he began to criticize society as a whole. Later toward the end of his life, it was said that he was embittered and disillusioned by both people and society. Goya’s art tended to lean more towards the Romantic expression, but still incorporated some of the classical style. He tended to depict the social and political implications of Spain, including the Napoleonic War. It was his graphic expression through art that made him the well-known print maker he is to this day.

The above work by Goya is an etching, entitled Hunting for Teeth. In the image, there is a woman attempting to pull the teeth out of a dead man’s mouth who was recently hung. She is shielding her face away from his with a cloth, which may be due to the stench, or to keep herself from having to look at the dead man’s face. It could also represent the idea that she is shameful of what she is doing, but feels the impulse to do it anyways. This was one of the superstitions of the time in Spain. It was thought that if you pulling out the teeth of a hanged man provided a type of power.

It can also be thought that the woman is covering her face because she is fearful of looking at a dead man. She, however much like society, is greedy and removes his teeth. Other ideas describe the fact that a hanged man’s teeth can be used in magic potions. The art piece also utilizes the technique of aquatint. Overall, it is a very grey, dark image, which may suggest this is taking place at night. The dead man is the lightest part of the image. The woman is trying to look away while still being able to see what she is doing, with somewhat of a side ward glance. The man, we may assume, was hanged because of a crime against the government.

Goya depicts two different types of people in the image. He has the criminal, or man who was hanged due to some sort of crime, and he has the greedy woman who is stealing the man’s teeth. Overall, Goya is representing people in society and their actions. The fact that Goya depicts things such as is this is what set him apart from other artists. He did not portray picnics, or sunsets, but instead real issues plaguing society at the time.

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