UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.– The Palmer Museum of Art will present the exhibition "Francisco Goya: Los Caprichos" from Feb. 3 through May 10.
On Feb. 6, 1799, an advertisement appeared in the "Diario de Madrid" announcing “a collection of prints of imaginary subjects, invented and etched by Don Francisco Goya.” The notice goes on to explain that the artist “has selected from among the multitude of follies and errors that are common in all civilized societies, and from popular prejudices and deceitful practices authorized by custom, ignorance, and interest, those subjects that he believes to be most appropriate for submitting to ridicule, and which stimulate at the same time the imagination of the artist.”
Goya makes it clear that the 80 aquatint etchings that comprise "Los Caprichos" spring from two interrelated desires: to critique human folly, and to “stimulate ... the imagination of the artist.” Recognizing that the intertwining of satire and fantasy lies at the heart of Goya’s artistic project is essential to coming to terms with these remarkable prints and to appreciating their pivotal position in the history of European culture. On the one hand, Goya was influenced by the reforming spirit of the Enlightenment, and he sought to expose the social, political, and religious abuses and superstitions that he saw around him. At the same time, the goblins, witches, monsters, animals, and strange creatures that populate many of the prints reveal a deep interest in exploring the expressive possibilities of the human imagination. In this regard, "Los Caprichos" is a seminal monument in the history of Romanticism and would influence subsequent generations of artists, writers and musicians.
The exhibition features a superb early first edition set of the etchings, believed to be one of four acquired directly from Goya by the Duke and Duchess of Osuna in January 1799, a few weeks before the "Diario de Madrid" advertisement announced their publication. Also included are a few examples from Goya’s other print series, and several reflections on "Los Caprichos" by American artists Edward Hagedorn and Enrique Chagoya.
"Francisco Goya: Los Caprichos" was organized by Landau Traveling Exhibitions, Los Angeles, in association with Denenberg Fine Art, West Hollywood, California.
At the Palmer Museum of Art, the exhibition is guest curated by Andrew Schulz, associate professor of art history and associate dean for research in the College of Arts and Architecture. Schulz has written extensively on the art of Goya, including an award-winning book on "Los Caprichos."
Exhibition related event:
Andrew Schulz, associate professor of art history and associate dean for research in the College of Arts and Architecture, will give a lecture titled “Goya’s 'Caprichos' at the Crossroads of 18th-Century Culture” at 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 3. Sponsored by the Department of Spanish, Italian and Portuguese.
Andrew Schulz, associate professor of art history and associate dean for research in the College of Arts and Architecture, will present a gallery talk titled "Francisco Goya: Los Caprichos" at 12:10 p.m. Friday, April 10.
The Palmer Museum of Art at Penn State is located on Curtin Road and admission is free. Museum hours are 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday. The museum is closed Mondays and some holidays. A greeter will be available in the lobby to direct visitors to the appropriate gallery for all noontime events.
Exhibitions also on view at the Palmer Museum of Art this spring are "Hidden Mother" (curated by Laura Larson) through April 26 and "Song of Myself" through May 10.
The Palmer Museum of Art receives funding through the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.