Disparate furioso (Furious Folly)

Disparate furioso (Furious Folly), created by Francisco Goya in 1816, is a powerful example of the artist’s mastery of graphic media, defining the final, highly experimental period of his output. This striking Spanish print utilizes the complex and technically demanding process of etching combined with burnished aquatint. This method allowed Goya to achieve deep, velvety blacks and extraordinarily nuanced tonal variations essential to the piece’s dramatic impact. The precise application of the aquatint technique creates the dense atmospheric depth and mysterious shadows that characterize the artist’s later exploration of folly and chaos.

Goya conceived this series, often referred to as Los Disparates or Los Proverbios, during the years following the tumultuous Peninsular War, a profoundly unsettling period that marked the conclusion of the conflict and the oppressive reign of Ferdinand VII. The creation of these prints falls squarely within the era of 1801 to 1825, during which Goya, increasingly isolated and disillusioned, moved away from traditional commissioned work toward deeply personal and often allegorical satire. The subject matter in Disparate furioso reflects the artist's severe introspection, examining universal themes of fear, madness, and human irrationality rather than specific political events.

The chaotic composition and lack of clear narrative found in the work position Goya as a pioneering figure in Romanticism. He employs graphic media to depict figures trapped in ambiguous, nightmarish circumstances, employing light and shadow not just for visual effect but to heighten the sense of confusion and oppressive weight. The technical skill displayed in this etching and aquatint showcases the sophisticated printmaking techniques utilized by the Spanish master in the early nineteenth century. Today, this important impression of Disparate furioso is preserved in the extensive collection of the National Gallery of Art, offering vital insight into Goya’s unflinching examinations of the human condition.