Francisco de Goya y Lucientes - Ensayos (Trials) - Plate 60 - c1900

Ensayos
Authentic Calcografía Nacional impression of Goya’s Ensayos (Trials), a haunting satire of superstition and cruelty. Etching c. 1878–1900.
Etching, aquatint, drypoint, and burin
Posthumous Calcografía Nacional edition, Madrid, c. 1878–1900 - from Goya’s original copper plate.

Aquatint: The grainy tone has been achieved using a powdered rosin (called aquatint) applied in a fine layer on selected areas of the metal etching plate. The plate is immersed in acid, which bites around the rosin to create a roughened surface. Goya’s use of aquatint is considered the most accomplished by any historical artist.

Overview:

"Little by little she is making progress. She is already making her first steps and in time she will know as much as her teacher." A young witch learns how to torment a human in the presence of her fiendish teacher, a giant ram, and its acolytes, two infernal cats.
 (reference Miguel Orozco 2021)

Historical Context
Los Chinchillas belongs to Goya’s 1799 series Los Caprichos, his Enlightenment-era critique of superstition, greed, and moral decay. Printed here from the original copper plate by the Calcografía Nacional around 1900, this impression preserves the bold linework and haunting tonal contrasts that made Caprichos a turning point in the history of satire.

Collector’s Note

• Edition: Late 19th-century Calcografía Nacional restrike from Goya’s original plate.

• Paper: Wove ivory stock without watermark.

• Rarity: Later impressions from this edition remain desirable for their authentic connection to Goya’s plates and their strong visual impact.
  

Interpretation
A chilling allegory of complacency, Los Chinchillas transcends its period. Goya’s commentary on the burden of ignorance could easily describe today’s willful blindness to inequality and manipulation of power. His figures stumble beneath invisible weight—much as modern societies still struggle under the pressures of misinformation and greed.