Artwork

Nadie nos ha visto (No One Has Seen Us)

Nadie nos ha visto (No One Has Seen Us), by Francisco Goya, ink, 1799
Nadie nos ha visto (No One Has Seen Us), by Francisco Goya, ink, 1799

Nadie nos ha visto (No One Has Seen Us) 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

Nadie nos ha visto (No One Has Seen Us) is a print created by Francisco Goya in 1799, exemplifying his late 18th-century printmaking practice. It is one of 80 etchings in his Caprichos series.

Subject & Meaning

The print depicts a man and woman hiding in darkness, their faces illuminated by a sliver of light. The title's irony lies in the fact that the viewer is witnessing their secret, highlighting the tension between concealment and revelation.

Technique & Style

Goya employed etching, burnished aquatint, and burin techniques on laid paper to create the image. The aquatint process gives the shadows a fuzzy, grainy texture, evoking a sense of secrecy and unease.

Context

The Caprichos series, to which this print belongs, critiques various aspects of Spanish society, including greed, gossip, and secrets, reflecting Goya's engagement with the social and political tensions of his time.

Artist & collection

Portrait of Francisco Goya

Artist

Francisco Goya

Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes (; Spanish: ; 30 March 1746 – 16 April 1828) was a Spanish romantic painter and printmaker.

This work is in the public domain (CC0). Image source: National Gallery of Art open access. Spotted an error in this record? Tell us.