Artwork
They Carried Her Off!, Plate 8
They Carried Her Off!, Plate 8 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. They Carried Her Off!
- Accession no.
- 1922.603
- Credit line
- Dudley P. Allen Fund
About this work
Overview
They Carried Her Off!, Plate 8, a print by Francisco de Goya circa 1799, is part of The Cleveland Museum of Art's collection. The work depicts a dramatic scene of a woman being forcibly carried away by two men.
Subject & Meaning
The subject is a woman in distress, dressed in a long skirt, with her body contorted and limbs extended as she is grasped by two hat-wearing, coat-clad men. Her invisible captors' faces add to the enigmatic nature of the scene, leaving the circumstances of her abduction ambiguous.
Technique & Style
Goya employs a predominantly dark palette with dramatic lighting, evoking a sense of turmoil and tension. These elements align with the expressive and emotionally charged characteristics of the Romanticism movement.
History & Provenance
Created around 1799, the print's history prior to its acquisition by The Cleveland Museum of Art is not detailed here. Its creation date places it within Goya's prolific period of etching and printmaking.
Context
Emerging from the late 18th century, this work reflects the shift towards emphasizing intense emotion and dramatic narrative, hallmarks of the burgeoning Romantic movement in art.
Legacy
As part of Goya's oeuvre, it contributes to his reputation for capturing the human condition through poignant, sometimes unsettling, imagery, influencing subsequent artistic explorations of emotion and drama.
Artist & collection
Artist
Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes was a Spanish romantic painter and printmaker.
