Francisco Goya was one of the most famous Spanish artists, whose role and legacy can hardly be overestimated. He acquired broad fame during his lifetime due to his paintings of the Spanish royal family and the court. However, Goya went down into history not only as a genius painter with deep, haunting imagery but also as a person who redefined the art sphere at the intersection of the 18th and 19th centuries. Here is a glimpse of the lesser-known sphere of Goya’s impact – the invention of etchings.

Art As Privilege of the Elites

During the period of Goya’s life and activity, art was still a privilege of the chosen few. It took a lot of time and effort to create paintings and sculptures, and the high cost of artwork prevented ordinary people from having such objects. Thus, art could only be found in palaces of nobility, churches, and homes of wealthy patrons.

Printmaking offered a cheaper alternative to original paintings; by means of using etchings, painters could distribute the fruits of their labor many times and sell each copy at a fraction of the original’s cost. Such an approach was beneficial for artists because it stimulated the distribution of their works and increased their popularity while also giving the ordinary public access to art.

The Use of Etchings by Francisco Goya

Goya recognized the potential of etchings early in his career and employed the printmaking technique using aquatint to create and distribute his artwork to the masses. One of the most popular series of Goya’s etchings is Los Caprichos (1799); it was a series of critical sketches that exposed the vices of Spanish society. Goya mocked superstition, corruption, and ignorance in these satirical images and exposed the ills of the Spanish Inquisition. The series circulated only for a couple of days, banned and confiscated by the Inquisition servants, but even after an official ban, it was disseminated and shared secretly.

Another high-impact series by Goya is Los Desastres de la Guerra (1810-1820). These etchings attacked the Peninsular War and the military brutalities of those times. The collection wasn’t published during Goya’s lifetime because of its provocative and dangerous content, but its raw depictions of inhumane violence still impress the audience.

Goya’s Technical Innovations

Though printmaking already existed in the time when Francisco Goya lived and worked, the artist brought the mastery of etchings to a new level. He used metal plates coated with acid-resistant wax to create precise, expressive images. Goya also employed innovative aquatint technology to add tonal depth to his etchings. Due to these innovations, Francisco Goya’s etchings possess visual complexity equal to paintings and continue to impress contemporary viewers.