Who painted Duendecitos (Hobgoblins)?

Duendecitos (Hobgoblins) was painted by Francisco Goya in 1799.

Where can I see Duendecitos (Hobgoblins)?

Duendecitos (Hobgoblins) is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Duendecitos (Hobgoblins)?

Duendecitos (Hobgoblins) is associated with Romanticism.

Artwork

Duendecitos (Hobgoblins)

Francisco Goya , 1799

Duendecitos (Hobgoblins) is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Francisco Goya. It dates from 1799 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

You see two small, hunched creatures with pointed ears and long claws, crouching in the dark like they’re whispering secrets.

You see two small, hunched creatures with pointed ears and long claws, crouching in the dark like they’re whispering secrets.

Goya made this etching in 1799 as part of a series called *Los Caprichos*—a set of prints that poked fun at Spanish society. The hobgoblins feel like a joke about human folly, but their shadowy shapes also make them unsettling. The technique, called aquatint, lets Goya create soft, smoky tones that make the scene feel eerie and dreamlike.

To see more of Goya’s strange, dark humor, look up *etching*.

Overview

Duendecitos (Hobgoblins) is a 1799 etching and burnished aquatint on laid paper by Francisco de Goya, a pivotal Spanish artist known for addressing social and political issues through his work.

Subject & Meaning

The print depicts two hunched, supernatural creatures with pointed ears and long claws, huddled in darkness, evoking both a commentary on human folly and an unsettling, irrational presence.

Technique & Style

Goya employed aquatint to achieve soft, smoky tones, imbuing the scene with an eerie, dreamlike quality that enhances the emotional impact of the subject.

History & Provenance

Duendecitos (Hobgoblins) is part of Goya's *Los Caprichos* series, a collection of prints satirizing aspects of Spanish society during the late 18th century.