Alla Va Eso (There it Goes)

Francisco Goya (1746-1828), Alla Va Eso (There It Goes), etching, drypoint and aquatint, 1799, plate 66 from Los Caprichos, First Edition (of 12). References: Delteil 103, Harris 101. In very good condition, with margins, 8 1/8 x 6 1/2, the sheet 10 3/4 x 7 7/8 inches.

A very good impression. Printed in a warm sepia ink on fine quality, soft but strong laid paper.

This is printed with a fine grain aquatint, in one pale tone. The lighter areas such as the legs and stomach, arms and face of the figure in front, and the face of the cat, stand in contrast to the slightly darker aquatint elsewhere.  These contrasting areas of tone are lost in the later impressions.

In the drawing for this print Goya wrote: “Dream. A witch instructress giving a first flying lesson to her pupil” and below wrote “Witches practicing”. Goya’s commentary on this: “There goes a witch, riding on the little crippled devil. This poor devil, of whom everyone makes fun, is not without his uses at times.”