'Disorderly Folly' from the 'Disparates' (Follies / Irrationalities)

Art Historical Context

Francisco de Goya y Luc, one of Spain's greatest artists and a pioneer of Romanticism, created *Disorderly Folly around 1815–19 as part of his enigmatic *Disparates* series also known as *Follies* or *Irrationalities This set of 22 prints, left unpublished during Goya's lifetime, was not discovered and issued until 1864, after his death. Produced in the shadow of Spain's turbulent post-Napoleonic era, the series captures Goya's dark vision of human absurdity, superstition, and societal chaos—hallmarks of his late, introspective style following his deafness and personal hardships. Printed using etching, aquatint, and drypoint on a plate measuring 9 9/16 × 13 7/8 inches, the work showcases Goya's masterful printmaking techniques. Aquatint allowed for rich, painterly tones and atmospheric depth, while drypoint added sharp, expressive lines, evoking a nightmarish intensity reminiscent of his earlier *Caprichos* but pushed further into surreal critique. Housed in The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department (Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1924), *Disorderly Folly* invites visitors to ponder the irrational undercurrents of human behavior. Its posthumous publication underscores Goya's enduring, subversive legacy, challenging viewers to confront folly in their own time.

About the Artist

Goya (Francisco de Goya y Lucientes) · 1746–1828

Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes (1746-1828) was a Spanish painter and printmaker considered the last of the Old Masters and the first of the moderns. Rising from modest provincial origins to become First Court Painter to Charles IV, Goya's career spanned the Enlightenment's optimism and the brutal Napoleonic invasion that shattered it. A mysterious illness in 1793 left him permanently deaf and ...