Who painted It is Better to be Lazy, Plate 73?

It is Better to be Lazy, Plate 73 was painted by Francisco Goya in 1799.

Where can I see It is Better to be Lazy, Plate 73?

It is Better to be Lazy, Plate 73 is held by Cleveland Museum of Art.

What movement is It is Better to be Lazy, Plate 73?

It is Better to be Lazy, Plate 73 is associated with Romanticism.

Artwork

It is Better to be Lazy, Plate 73

Francisco Goya , 1799

It is Better to be Lazy, Plate 73 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

Created in 1799, *It is Better to be Lazy, Plate 73* is a print by the Spanish artist Francisco de Goya. The work belongs to a series in which Goya humorously critiques human vices, particularly sloth. It is part of the Cleveland Museum of Art’s collection and exemplifies the artist’s early engagement with satirical subject matter.

Subject & Meaning

The image portrays a dimly lit interior where three figures interact: a man seated on the floor cradles an infant, another figure leans over him, and a woman in a long dress stands nearby, her gaze directed downward. The sparse illumination highlights faces and hands, underscoring the scene’s intimate, almost voyeuristic quality while the caption, “It is Better to be Lazy,” reinforces the work’s moralizing humor.

Technique & Style

Executed as a print, Goya employs strong chiaroscuro to contrast the limited light sources with surrounding shadow, a method that intensifies the composition’s dramatic focus. The line work is economical yet expressive, capturing the figures’ gestures with a simplicity that aligns with the satirical tone of the series.

History & Provenance

First produced at the close of the eighteenth century, the print entered the Cleveland Museum of Art’s holdings through acquisition in the twentieth century, though the precise path of ownership before its museum entry is not extensively documented.

Context

The plate is part of Goya’s broader series of moralizing prints that predate his more famous Black Paintings. In the late 1790s, Spain was undergoing social and political turbulence, and Goya’s satirical works offered a subtle commentary on everyday vices amid that climate.