Artwork
No hay quien nos desate? (Can't Anyone Untie Us?)
No hay quien nos desate? (Can't Anyone Untie 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. Created in 1799, this print by Francisco de Goya combines etching, aquatint, and burnishing on laid paper.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1799, this print by Francisco de Goya combines etching, aquatint, and burnishing on laid paper. The image depicts two intertwined figures ensnared by twisting vines, one of whom is overtopped by a tree whose roots penetrate the hair. The composition is rendered with a mixture of rough line work and deep tonal shading, emphasizing a sense of entanglement and helplessness.
Subject & Meaning
The tangled bodies symbolize a struggle that extends beyond the literal, suggesting the constraints of social and marital conventions that bind individuals together. The invasive vegetation and the tree’s roots convey an organic, inescapable force, while the accompanying caption, “No hay quien nos desate?”—“Can anyone untie us?”—questions the possibility of liberation from such obligations.
Technique & Style
Goya employed a layered process: initial etched lines define the figures, followed by aquatint to build atmospheric darks, and selective burnishing to smooth areas and create contrast. The use of laid paper adds a subtle texture that interacts with the scratchy strokes, reinforcing the chaotic energy of the scene while retaining the precision characteristic of Goya’s printmaking.
History & Provenance
Part of a broader series of satirical prints, this work reflects Goya’s late‑eighteenth‑century engagement with social critique. Produced during a period when the artist was expanding his repertoire beyond painting, the print circulated among collectors interested in his commentary on contemporary life. It remains documented in major museum collections that focus on Goya’s graphic oeuvre.
Artist & collection
Artist
Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes (; Spanish: ; 30 March 1746 – 16 April 1828) was a Spanish romantic painter and printmaker.
Thunder (Un coup de foudre)
Subir y bajar (To Rise and To Fall)
Thunder (Un coup de foudre)
Buen Viage (Bon Voyage)
Esto es lo verdadero (This Is the Truth)
Harvesters Surprised by the Storm (Moissonneuses surprises par l'orage)
Esto es lo verdadero (This Is the Truth)
Kavaliere mit einer frau (Cavaliers with a Woman)