Who painted Disparate de miedo (Folly of Fear)?

Disparate de miedo (Folly of Fear) was painted by Francisco de Goya in 1816.

Where can I see Disparate de miedo (Folly of Fear)?

Disparate de miedo (Folly of Fear) is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Disparate de miedo (Folly of Fear)?

Disparate de miedo (Folly of Fear) is associated with Romanticism.

Can I buy a print of Disparate de miedo (Folly of Fear)?

Museum-quality prints of Disparate de miedo (Folly of Fear) are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

Disparate de miedo (Folly of Fear)

Francisco de Goya , 1816

Disparate de miedo (Folly of Fear) is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Francisco de Goya. It dates from 1816 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Created in 1816, Disparate de miedo (Folly of Fear) is an etching‑aquatint print, possibly incorporating drypoint, that was not issued until after the artist’s death, with impressions dated between 1854 and 1863. The work belongs to the final phase of the creator’s career, a period marked by a preoccupation with the anxieties and upheavals of early‑nineteenth‑century Spain.

Subject & Meaning

The image presents a solitary, spectral figure draped in a flowing robe on the left, its face concealed, while a cluster of terrified figures huddle on the ground to the right. One individual climbs a tree, the others cower beneath it, suggesting a collective panic that foregrounds fear as a social condition rather than a specific event.

Technique & Style

Dark, expressive lines and deep tonal washes achieved through aquatint give the composition a murky atmosphere, while the use of empty space heightens the sense of isolation. The possible inclusion of drypoint adds a velvety quality to the shadows, reinforcing the work’s unsettling mood.

History & Provenance

Although executed in 1816, the plate was not printed during the artist’s lifetime. Posthumous impressions were produced in the mid‑nineteenth century, between 1854 and 1863, reflecting a later interest in the artist’s unpublished prints and the continued circulation of his graphic oeuvre.

Context

The piece is linked to the larger series Disasters of War, yet it diverges from the series’ explicit depictions of battlefield violence. Instead, it concentrates on the psychological dimension of terror, aligning with the creator’s broader engagement with human folly and moral critique during a period of political turbulence.