Ni asi la Distingue (Even so he cannot recognize her), from Los Caprichos

Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes

1799

Etching, aquatint, and drypoint

Minneapolis Institute of Art

A man in a coat and hat whispers to a woman in a dark, ornate dress, while another woman sits in the background holding a fan. The scene is rendered in black and white etching. In 1793, an illness left Spanish court painter, Francisco Goya profoundly deaf, a condition that may have liberated him to explore unconventional subjects in his art. A few years later, he published Los Caprichos, a set of 80 etchings and aquatints that delved into prostitution, superstition, religious exploitation, abuse of power, witchcraft, and other follies of Spanish society. Though Goya took care to keep his imagery somewhat inscrutable, avoiding specific reference to individuals, the prints proved so inflammatory that they were withdrawn from sale within fifteen days. This print refers to the custom of arranged marriages in S