Artwork
And Still They Don't Go!, Plate 59
And Still They Don't Go!, Plate 59 is a print by the Romanticist artist Francisco de Goya. It dates from 1799 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. Created around 1799, And Still They Don't Go!
- Accession no.
- 1922.654
- Credit line
- Dudley P. Allen Fund
About this work
Overview
Created around 1799, And Still They Don't Go!, Plate 59 is a print by the Spanish artist Francisco de Goya. The work is part of the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. It depicts a chaotic effort to move a heavy table, with several figures straining and contorting as they attempt to lift it.
Subject & Meaning
The composition shows a group of people locked in a collective struggle: one figure kneels, another leans back, and a third clings to the table’s edge. Their tense expressions and strained muscles convey a sense of stubborn persistence, underscored by the inscription “Y aun no se van!”, Spanish for “And still they don’t go!”, suggesting futility or obstinacy.
Technique & Style
Executed as a rapid, energetic sketch, the print employs bold, gestural lines that capture the physical effort of the figures. The raw, unfinished quality emphasizes movement over detail, aligning with Goya’s late‑18th‑century interest in expressive, emotionally charged drawing.
History & Provenance
The work dates to the close of the 1790s, a period when Goya was producing a series of socially observant prints. It entered the Cleveland Museum of Art’s holdings through acquisition, where it remains on display as part of the museum’s European prints collection.
Artist & collection
Artist
Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes was a Spanish romantic painter and printmaker.
