Artwork
Pretty Teacher!, Plate 68
Pretty Teacher!, Plate 68 is a print by the Romanticist artist Francisco Goya. It dates from 1799 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. Francisco de Goya’s print *Linda maestra!
About this work
Overview
Francisco de Goya’s print *Linda maestra!* (Pretty Teacher!), catalogued as Plate 68, dates to around 1799. Executed as an etching, the image is part of Goya’s early series of humorous and satirical prints. The work is part of the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it is displayed among other examples of the artist’s graphic output.
Subject & Meaning
The composition depicts a barefoot woman in motion, clutching a broom in one hand and a stick in the other, her dress billowing around her legs and her hair loose. A small bird hovers near the upper edge of the picture plane. The title’s playful tone suggests a light‑hearted, possibly ironic commentary on the figure’s role as a teacher.
Technique & Style
Goya employs loose, sketch‑like lines that convey a sense of immediacy and vigor. The etching’s tonal range is achieved through varied cross‑hatching, giving the scene a lively, almost chaotic atmosphere. The roughness of the drawing aligns with the artist’s interest in spontaneous, expressive graphic techniques that prefigure later Romantic sensibilities.
History & Provenance
Created at the close of the eighteenth century, the print entered the Cleveland Museum of Art’s collection through acquisition in the twentieth century, though the exact path of ownership prior to that remains undocumented in public records. Its presence in the museum underscores the institution’s commitment to representing Goya’s diverse oeuvre beyond his paintings.
Context
*Pretty Teacher!* belongs to a period when Goya explored satirical subjects in print, a practice that allowed him to comment on everyday life and social roles with a degree of freedom unavailable in his official commissions. The work reflects the broader Enlightenment‑era fascination with genre scenes that blend humor with subtle critique.
Artist & collection
Artist
Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes (; Spanish: ; 30 March 1746 – 16 April 1828) was a Spanish romantic painter and printmaker.
