Artwork
La filiacion (The Filiation)
La filiacion (The Filiation) 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
Overview
Created in 1799, *La filiacion* is an early print by Francisco Goya that combines etching with aquatint on laid paper. The work belongs to a series of graphic experiments undertaken by the artist at the close of the eighteenth century, a period when he was beginning to explore the expressive possibilities of printmaking beyond traditional line work.
Subject & Meaning
The image presents three elegantly dressed women seated together in a dimly lit interior. One holds a fan, another a book, while the third leans forward with a serious expression. Their elaborate hats, feathered and conspicuous, suggest a setting of social display, inviting contemplation of feminine roles and interpersonal dynamics within a private, perhaps domestic, space.
Technique & Style
Goya employs a rapid, sketch‑like line to delineate the figures, allowing gestures and facial nuances to emerge with immediacy. Aquatint provides a soft, tonal background that recedes into shadow, contrasting with the sharper etched contours of clothing and accessories. This blend of line and tone creates a layered visual field that conveys both detail and atmosphere.
History & Provenance
The print exists as a proof before the addition of lettering, indicating it was produced early in the series’ development. It remains on laid paper, a common support for Goya’s experimental prints of the period. The work’s provenance traces back to the artist’s own workshop, where it was likely examined before inclusion in later, fully finished editions.
Artist & collection
Artist
Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes (; Spanish: ; 30 March 1746 – 16 April 1828) was a Spanish romantic painter and printmaker.
Spanish Scene (Scène espagnole)
Nadie se conoce (Nobody Knows Himself)
The Filiation, Plate 57
Tal para qual (Two of a Kind)
Ya van desplumados (There They Go Plucked)
Ni asi la distingue (Even Thus He Cannot Make Her Out)
Schadow and His Family
No One Knows Himself, Plate 6
Devant le tableau de M. G. Moreau
Premier sujet d'un café-concert chantant...
Devant le tableau de M. G. Moreau
The Romancer