Artwork
How They Pluck Her!, Plate 21
How They Pluck Her!, Plate 21 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. Created around 1799, *How They Pluck Her!
About this work
Overview
Created around 1799, *How They Pluck Her!*, Plate 21 is an etching by the Spanish artist Francisco de Goya. The work is part of the museum’s collection and is displayed at the Cleveland Museum of Art. It presents a compact, dramatic tableau that captures a moment of tension and fear.
Subject & Meaning
The image depicts a woman in a loose, flowing gown clutching a small child while a heavily‑clothed man seizes her arm. Her expression conveys terror, suggesting a sudden, violent interruption. The accompanying inscription, "¡Qual la desconsolman!" ("How they console her!"), underscores the unsettling emotional climate of the scene.
Technique & Style
Goya employs stark chiaroscuro, contrasting deep black shadows with sharply illuminated figures. The limited palette heightens the sense of drama, while the crisp lines of the etching emphasize the physical struggle. The darkness surrounding the characters isolates them, intensifying the viewer’s focus on the interaction.
History & Provenance
The plate was produced during Goya’s early printmaking period, a time when he explored social and personal anxieties through graphic media. After its creation, the work entered various private collections before being acquired by the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it remains part of the permanent holdings.
Artist & collection
Artist
Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes (; Spanish: ; 30 March 1746 – 16 April 1828) was a Spanish romantic painter and printmaker.
