La seguridad de un reo no exige tormento (The Custody of a Criminal Does Not Call for Torture

La seguridad de un reo no exige tormento (The Custody of a Criminal Does Not Call for Torture) by Francisco Goya is a powerful Spanish print created around 1810, utilizing the precise yet expressive techniques of etching and burin. This example, classified as a trial proof, was printed posthumously before 1859 and precedes the standardized final editions, offering researchers a rare view into the plate’s developmental state. The work belongs to the period of 1801 to 1825, a critical time in Iberian history marked by the upheavals of the Peninsular War and subsequent political instability.

Goya often turned to prints as a medium for social and political commentary, using their accessibility to address profound moral issues ignored by official institutions. The artwork’s title functions as a direct challenge to the cruelty inherent in traditional Spanish jurisprudence, condemning the widespread use of torture in the pursuit of security or justice. This piece demonstrates the artist’s consistent critique of institutional violence, a theme that defines much of Goya’s graphic output from the first two decades of the nineteenth century.

Goya’s mastery of the medium is evident in the stark contrast of light and shadow, achieved through careful handling of the burin to create deep, textural darkness. The resultant tension between the depicted scene and its humanitarian title establishes the work as both an artistic achievement and a significant ethical statement. As one of the preeminent works by a Spanish master of the 19th century, this print is frequently studied in the context of human rights and artistic protest. Its historical importance means that high-quality images of the work are widely circulated in the public domain for academic and artistic appreciation. This significant impression is held in the permanent collection of the National Gallery of Art.