The Eagle Hunter

Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes (Francisco de Goya)

about 1812–1820

Brush and brown ink with brown wash, on laid paper, Brush, Ink

J. Paul Getty Museum

An eagle swoops down towards a man who is suspended by ropes, possibly from a cliff face. The man is wearing a basket and appears to be in a precarious position. In this drawing, bold line work, various gradations of wash, and striking use of the reserve compellingly render eagle hunting as a brutal and slightly comic task. The hunter precariously dangles from a precipice by a thin rope taut around his waist. Only a metal cooking pot on his head and padded trousers protect him from the sharp beaks of the eaglets and the rugged cliff. Hovering in midair while attempting to pluck the young birds from a nest tucked into a crevice, the eagle hunter remains completely unaware of his impending doom. With sharp talons outstretched, a large adult eagle is about to return to the nest with a hapless r