Disparate de Carnabal (Carnival Folly)

Disparate de Carnabal (Carnival Folly) by Francisco Goya, dating to approximately 1816, is a powerful example of the artist's late graphic output. Classified as a print, the work utilizes the demanding combination of etching and aquatint to achieve dramatic tonal contrasts. This specific impression is a trial proof, printed posthumously between 1854 and 1863, long after Goya created the original plate. The image belongs to the enigmatic series known collectively as the Disparates or Proverbs, works that examine irrationality, superstition, and the dark side of Spanish society.

This composition depicts a chaotic and disturbing scene characteristic of a misguided or unsettling carnival celebration. Although created during the politically turbulent period spanning 1801 to 1825, Goya’s intention here moves beyond mere social or political satire into an exploration of universal human folly, rendered through grotesque figures and unsettling theatricality. The central figures are crowded and tightly packed, suggesting collective delusion or hysteria, a recurring theme in the final works of this Spanish master. Goya’s innovative use of the deep, velvety black afforded by the aquatint technique heightens the claustrophobic atmosphere surrounding the mass of revelers, emphasizing shadow and psychological distress over clear narrative.

Goya produced these highly expressive plates during a time of self-imposed isolation following his severe illness. While the precise meaning of many Disparates remains elusive, their technical brilliance cemented Goya’s reputation as the foremost graphic artist of his era. This piece is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. As high-quality reference prints of this important Romantic work are often in the public domain, the work remains a crucial resource for scholars studying the artistic transition following the Enlightenment.