She Doesn't Recognize Herself ("No se conoce") 1807 - 1845

Leonardo Alenza created this etching, "She Doesn't Recognize Herself," with etching in nineteenth-century Spain. It presents us with a woman in elaborate dress, seemingly oblivious to the devil whispering in her ear, while she holds a book and rests her feet on a prostrate figure. The image generates meaning through its sharp critique of vanity and ignorance. The grotesque figures, reminiscent of Goya's work, underscore the artist's commentary on the social structures of his time. Alenza seems to be making a statement about the superficiality of the Spanish aristocracy during a period of social and political upheaval. To fully understand this artwork, one might delve into the history of Spanish society at the time, the influence of the Enlightenment, and the role of art in critiquing social norms. Further research into Spanish caricature would reveal more about the meaning of this art as something deeply rooted in its social and institutional context.