Neither More Nor Less, Plate 41

The image presents an elderly, rag‑clad figure clutching a modest placard that bears the words “Ni más ni menos.” The man’s deeply furrowed visage conveys a lifetime of hardship, while the stark white background isolates him, emphasizing his marginal status and the terse declaration of his existence.

Created with the intaglio process of etching, the print relies on fine line work to render the subject’s weathered features and the crisp lettering of the sign. Goya’s restrained palette of black ink against a blank field heightens the contrast between the figure and the surrounding emptiness, a hallmark of his socially charged graphic oeuvre.

The plate was produced in the late eighteenth century, a period when Goya was actively publishing series of prints that critiqued contemporary Spanish society. After changing hands among private collectors, the work entered the Cleveland Museum of Art’s holdings, where it remains accessible to scholars and the public.

Goya created this image during a time of political and economic turbulence in Spain, marked by war, famine, and widespread poverty. The etching forms part of a broader visual commentary on social inequality, aligning with other works such as “The Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters,” which together expose the plight of ordinary citizens under oppressive conditions.