Self Portrait. Francisco Goya y Lucientes, Pintor. Francisco Goya, Painter. by Francisco Goya, 1746-1828

Francisco Goya, 1746-1828
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Self Portrait. Francisco Goya y Lucientes, Pintor. Francisco Goya, Painter.

Original etching with aquatint, drypoint and burin engraving in black ink. 1798/99. Extremely fine impression from the first edition. Issued by Goya himself in 1799. The edition was 300 sets. From the strength of the aquatint and the burr it would seem that this impression is from early in the edition. Issued as plate 1 for 'Los Caprichos'.
Ref: Harris - Goya Engravings no 36, first edition

Extremely fine first issue impression with very good tonality. On soft pale cream laid 18th century paper. Excellent undamaged condition. Virtually full margins. Sheet: 12 1/2 x 8 1/4ins (319x212mm). Plate: 8 1/2 x 6ins (215x151mm).

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The famous self portrait by Goya etched in 1799 and issued as the frontispiece for the series 'Los Caprichos'. This impression is from the very scarce 1799 first issue, with strong printing of the aquatint tone, the etching and the touches of drypoint. It is one of the most highly prized images in Goya's etched work.

The highly adventurous compositions of the 'Los Caprichos' series were already the most famous works in Goya's oeuvre by the early 19th century, and they remain his most renowned prints today. The subjects of the eighty plates were described in a contemporary advertisement as 'whimsical subjects'; they were in fact often bitingly powerful satires of the attitudes and actions of the Church, the Royal Family, the Government, society bourgeoisie and even the dreaded Inquisition.

Much of the reputation of the prints lies in Goya's extremely sophisticated and experimental handling of the actual etching media. He used washes of aquatint, the first time the aquatint technique had been used in Spain, and he linked the aquatint to etching with touches of drypoint. It was these same techniques which he used for the Self Portrait. Together with the brilliant contrasts in density in the drawing - the hat silhouetted against the tone background and throwing the face into highlight, for example - and the stylisation of the arrangement of the pose, it resulted in an absolutely iconic Self Portrait image.