The Owl (Apr 2019)
Los Caprichos: Allá vá eso and its Supernatural Connection to our Physical World
Abstract
In this essay, I examine Los Caprichos, a series of engravings by the late-18th century Spanish Romantic artist Francisco de Goya. By focusing mainly on Plate 66 from the series, Allá vá eso, I examine the ways in which Goya’s creation reflects the social, political, and moral tides of the period. Beginning with an extensive formal analysis, I explore how the work’s supernatural figures and overarching demonic theme are representative of the dark and twisted artistic methods which Goya often employed in his works. Furthermore, I evaluate Allá vá eso in the context of somatic deformation, a term set forth by Andrew Schulz in his publication, Goya’s Caprichos: Aesthetics, Perception, and the Body. The term means “distortion of the body,” and I argue its prevalence in Goya’s artistic technique. Moreover, I explore the social implications of the Enlightenment on 18th century Spain; specifically, its production of a heightened interest in rationality and the natural world. I argue that Allá vá eso, when viewed in this context, provides a fantastical narrative that critiques humanity’s reliance on faith and religion as it appeared in daily life and in art produced prior to Goya’s time.
