Mejor es holgar. 1796 - 1797

Francisco Goya made this etching, titled "Better to be Idle," as part of his series *Los Caprichos*, using etching and aquatint techniques. Produced in Spain in the late 1790s, this work uses caricature to expose social problems. We see what appears to be a young woman, perhaps being offered up for marriage or sex. The older figures seem to be haggling over her value. Goya lived through turbulent times and challenged the social structures of his time. The church and the monarchy were in decline and were often the subject of his criticism. He satirizes what he sees as the backwardness of Spanish society. In doing so, he risks his own position as a court painter. To understand Goya's world better, we can look at historical records, letters, and other images from the time. The meaning of art is contingent on the social conditions that shape artistic production.