Aquatint

All Will Fall (Caprichos, pl. 19). Etching, and burnished aquatint.

Aquatint: A tonal method of printmaking that is used in conjunction with linear etching. The technique was invented by Jean Baptiste Le Prince (1734-81). As in etching, the copper plate is bitten by the action of immersion in acid. Granules of acid-resist laid on the plate result in a fine, reticulated patterning when the plate is inked and printed from, thus producing an effect not unlike a wash.

There are 2 distinct methods of aquatint. In the first a dust-box is used to blow particles of resin onto the copper plate. In the 2nd the resin is dissolved in alcohol which is brushed over the plate; as the alcohol evaporates, particles of resin are left on the plate. The artist can vary the tones of different parts of his aquatint by subjecting them to bitings in the acid-bath of differing duration. The parts he wishes to print relatively light in tone can be protected by coating with stopping-out varnish, resistant to acid; those that are to print darker can be rebitten. (Michael Clarke)

Goya Prints

The dream of reason produces monsters (Caprichos, pl. 43) Etching and aquatint.

Feminine folly (Disparates, pl. 1). Etching, aquatint and ?drypoint

Gone for good (Caprichos, pl. 61). Etching, aquatint and drypoint.

Here is just a tiny smattering of Goya on a Thursday afternoon. He did so many incredible paintings and prints. He did several series of prints... was quite political, serious and very humorous, especially for his 'day.'

"Francisco Jose de Goya y Lucientes 1746-1828. Spanish painter and engraver. He painted portraits of 4 successive kings of Spain; his series of etchings include the famous Los Caprichos 1797-98 and The Disasters of War 1810-1814, both depicting the horrors of the French invasion of Spain. Among his later works are the 'Black Paintings'.

Goya was born in Aragon and was for a time a bullfighter, the subject of some of his etchings. After studying in Italy, he returned to Spain and was employed on a number of paintings for the royal tapestry factory as well as numerous portraits. In 1789 he was appointed court painter to Charles IV. The eroticism of his Nude Maja and Clothed Maja about 1800-1805 (Prado, Madrid) caused such outrage that he was questioned by the Inquisition. The Shootings of May 3rd 1808-1814, painted for Ferdinand VII, is passionate in its condemnation of the inhumanity of war." (Brockhampton)