Brujas à volar (Witches Preparing to Fly) [verso]

Brujas à volar (Witches Preparing to Fly) [verso] by Francisco Goya, executed during the period of 1796-1797, is a pivotal drawing reflecting the Spanish master's fascination with the grotesque and the irrational. This intense, intimate study was created using brush and black ink and gray wash on laid paper, demonstrating Goya’s command over tonal contrasts and dynamic compositions, characteristics defining much of his artistic output during the late 18th century.

The drawing, classified formally as a preparatory sketch or study, captures several cloaked figures in dark, chaotic motion, evoking the shadowy world of witchcraft and superstition. This subject matter aligns closely with Goya’s contemporary graphic series, particularly Los Caprichos, where he critiqued the societal follies and ignorance prevalent in Spanish culture during the years 1776 to 1800. The rapid application of wash highlights the dramatic tension and psychological unease inherent in the scene, suggesting a clandestine meeting or ritual.

Goya’s use of the verso (backside) of the paper indicates the speed and intensity with which he explored these dark themes, often reusing materials to capture spontaneous ideas. Although this work exists as a unique drawing, it relates conceptually to the numerous prints the artist produced that explored the fear and darkness of the human condition.

This important drawing is housed in the collection of the National Gallery of Art, providing critical insight into the evolution of Goya's visual language during a period of profound artistic and political transformation. Today, high-resolution images of Goya's works, including those considered to be in the public domain, are vital resources for studying the transition from the Rococo elegance to the darker, more politically charged Romanticism he championed.