Who painted Here Comes the Bogeyman, Plate 3?

Here Comes the Bogeyman, Plate 3 was painted by Francisco Goya in 1799.

Where can I see Here Comes the Bogeyman, Plate 3?

Here Comes the Bogeyman, Plate 3 is held by Cleveland Museum of Art.

What movement is Here Comes the Bogeyman, Plate 3?

Here Comes the Bogeyman, Plate 3 is associated with Romanticism.

Artwork

Here Comes the Bogeyman, Plate 3

Francisco Goya , 1799

Here Comes the Bogeyman, Plate 3 is a print by the Romanticist artist Francisco Goya. It dates from 1799 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

About this work

Overview

The composition centers on a worried mother with an infant, a cloaked figure holding the light, and an ominous atmosphere that suggests imminent danger.

Francisco de Goya’s print *Here Comes the Bogeyman, Plate 3* dates from around 1799 and is part of the Cleveland Museum of Art’s collection. Executed as an intaglio work, it depicts a cramped interior illuminated by a single lantern, casting deep shadows across the scene. The composition centers on a worried mother with an infant, a cloaked figure holding the light, and an ominous atmosphere that suggests imminent danger.

Subject & Meaning

The image presents three figures in a dimly lit room: a woman seated on a bed clutching a baby, a shrouded presence holding a lantern, and an unseen threat implied by the title. The mother’s anxious expression and the title’s reference to a “bogeyman” convey a narrative of fear and vulnerability, hinting at the anxieties of domestic life in late‑18th‑century Spain.

Technique & Style

Goya employs stark chiaroscuro, contrasting the bright lantern glow with surrounding darkness to heighten tension. The print’s line work and tonal gradations are achieved through meticulous engraving, allowing fine detail in the figures’ faces while preserving the overall gloom. This manipulation of light and shadow reflects Goya’s interest in dramatic visual effects that underscore psychological states.

History & Provenance

Created circa 1799, the plate forms part of a series of prints Goya produced during a period of social and political unrest in Spain. The work entered the Cleveland Museum of Art’s holdings in the 20th century, where it has been displayed as an example of Goya’s early printmaking and his exploration of fear‑laden subject matter.