Even a genius like Spanish artist Francisco de Goya y Lucientes had a money-making scheme that didn’t pan out. In 1799, he speculated that a picture book of satirical images criticizing the avarice, idiocy, and sexual appetites of aristocrats, clergy, and well-to-do 18^th-century Spaniards would bring a good return on an investment of his time and money. Of course the money part of Goya’s scheme didn’t exactly work out because the book, referred to as Los Caprichos, antagonized its own potential buyers, thus failing to sell; but the suite of 80 images that the artist produced for it became influential and contains one of Goya’s most often reproduced images. Entitled “El sueño de la razon produce monstruos” (“The sleep of reason produces monsters”), this famous Capricho features a vigilant lynx staring at Goya, who is unwisely asleep, while such disturbing creatures as bats and horned owls transform his rational tranquility into mad nightmares. This image along with all the other celebrated etchings from the very first edition of Goya’s masterpiece money-losing venture are now on exhibit at the Robert and Karen Hoehn Family Galleries, which are located in Founders Hall on the University of San Diego campus.

When he originally published Los Caprichos (literally translated as “the caprices”), the ideals of the Enlightenment were glowing bright. America had rebelled against England, and France had executed its king. Late 18^th- and early 19^th-century artists and writers consciously included allusions to light in their works. To depict light displacing darkness became a metaphor for Enlightenment ideas that advocated change from the old traditions. Goya displayed his own enlightenment in the Caprichos by prominently featuring dramatic light versus darks using the etching technique for lines and the relatively new technique of aquatint for rich, looming background shadows.

The suite is also critical of privilege and ignorance among the old Spanish ruling class, whether it be the aristocracy or the clergy. The exhibition, entitled Goya’s Restless Monsters: Los Caprichos and the Birth of the Modern Print, establishes the artist as a father of the modern opinionated cartoon that in addition is a significant and influential artwork. His work influenced many artists including 19^th-century artist Honoré Daumier and 20^th-century painters Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse. The exhibition was curated by Kevin Salatino who is the Director of the Bowdoin College Museum of Art. Mr. Salatino is also the former the curator of prints at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art—the museum that loaned its entire suite of 80 images for this exhibition.

In several of Goya’s scathing prints hobgoblins represent friars; and in Bookplate 77, a skeletal nobleman and a monk play picadors riding sickly footmen as they lance a peasant dressed as a bull. Also included in the series are amusing images of men characterized as jackasses that comment on the stupidity of aristocrats, doctors, and educators. In Bookplate 50, entitled “Las Chinchillas,” two Frankenstein’s monster-like aristocrats with flat heads wear what look like straitjackets emblazoned with coats of arms. To guard against learning any new ideas they have padlocks sealing their ears shut. A third blindfolded figure with donkey’s ears—presumed to characterize Ignorance—spoon-feeds the two aristocrats’ gaping mouths. The image with its bright versus dark values of light ridiculed the Chinchilla family who, with ludicrous prestige, boasted that they were direct descendants of Noah—the Biblical Noah who was famous for building an ark.

Many of Goya’s works also pithily critique Spanish women and their circumstance. Then, upper-class women were essentially traded in marriage to secure fortunes and family ties. Several images in the series are critical of the female go-between or procuress—the one who arranged the marriage transaction (today she might be associated with both a matchmaker and a brothel’s madam). In Goya’s images the go-between is characterized as a greedy, ugly old crone. Several other plates are also critical of marriage. In plate 14, entitled “Que sacrificio!” (“What a sacrifice!”), an unfortunate woman allows herself to be seduced by a revolting man just for the opportunity to secure wealth for her family. The suggestion being that marrying a feckless husband or even resorting to prostitution might have been preferable to being either poor or stuck under the intense scrutiny of one’s parents in a cloister-like 18^th-century Spanish home. Goya also lampoons whores and the men who were so easily charmed by them.

The artist's social commentary is rendered in a veiled manner, and many of the images feature characters that could be spawn of the demons in a J.R.R. Tolkien novel. The images are mounted too high on the wall for small tykes, though. The ability to view the entire ensemble of images from Los Caprichos displayed altogether makes this exhibition a rare, not to be missed treat.

The galleries are open Tuesday through Sunday from Noon to 4:00PM, and Thursdays from Noon to 6:00PM. Unfortunately, the galleries will be closed between December 24^th and New Year’s. For information call (619) 260-4261.