Francisco de Goya was one of the most innovative painters and printmakers of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. His etchings and lithographs are regarded as masterpieces of modern printmaking. Early in his career, following his artistic training in Spain and Italy, he was appointed First Court Painter to Charles IV. Throughout his work, Goya brought the progressive ideals of the Enlightenment into tense confrontation with the brutal realities of his time.

Whether in individual works such as the haunting The Garrotted Man or the monumental The Seated Giant, or in his celebrated series — the satirical Caprichos, the unflinching Disasters of War, the dynamic Tauromaquia, and the nightmarish Disparates — Goya captured both the light and the darkness of a world in upheaval, where individuals were often crushed by violence, superstition, or political power. His works were not merely reflections on Spanish society; they were accusations, meditations, and warnings engraved into copper plates.

This extraordinary collection of 287 etchings and lithographs brings together Goya’s complete graphic oeuvre, including editions produced under his direct supervision as well as rare state proofs from unpublished series. The result is an exceptional insight into both his experimental spirit and his mastery of the printmaking process.

Accompanied by detailed commentary on every print and scholarly essays by José Manuel Matilla and Anna Reuter, this volume represents the culmination of more than two centuries of research while offering a powerful visual narrative. Goya did not simply depict the world — he dissected it, exposing the tensions between reason and madness, justice and cruelty, hope and despair.

DETAILS • Author: Francisco de Goya • Publisher: Taschen • Format: Hardcover