Artwork
Love and Death, Plate 10
Love and Death, Plate 10 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
Look up Francisco de Goya (Spanish, 1746–1828) for more like this.
This etching shows a woman in white hugging a skeleton. The skeleton holds a bow and arrow, ready to shoot. The woman looks calm, not scared.
Goya made this as part of a series called *The Fates*. Death isn’t scary here—it’s just a normal part of life. The woman accepts it without fear.
See how the dark background makes the white figure stand out? It’s called chiaroscuro. Look up Francisco de Goya (Spanish, 1746–1828) for more like this.
Overview
Love and Death, Plate 10 is an etching by Francisco de Goya, created around 1799. It is part of a print series and is currently held at The Cleveland Museum of Art.
Subject & Meaning
The print depicts a calm woman embracing a skeleton, which holds a bow and arrow. The scene suggests that death is an accepted part of life, rather than something to be feared. The woman's serene expression underscores this interpretation.
Technique & Style
Goya employed chiaroscuro, a technique that uses strong contrasts between light and dark, to make the white figure stand out against the dark background. This visual effect emphasizes the subject and creates a sense of drama.
Artist & collection
Artist
Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes (; Spanish: ; 30 March 1746 – 16 April 1828) was a Spanish romantic painter and printmaker.
