A circus queen timely Absurdity 1823

This etching was made by Francisco Goya, using metal plates, acid, and ink. These are not so much the materials of craft, as the tools of mass communication – Goya was making printed images that could reach a wide audience. Look closely, and you will see that the apparent spontaneity of this circus scene is actually the result of painstaking labor. Goya would have had to carefully apply a resist to the metal, then etch the image with acid, then print it. The result is high contrast, and the lines are sharp. You can really see the tension in the rope, the muscles of the horse, and the focused concentration of the woman. She is caught between control, and the risk of tumbling to the ground. Like many of Goya's works, this one has a biting quality. The circus performer, a figure of entertainment, seems almost trapped, her efforts both skillful and absurd. Goya reminds us that even the most dazzling displays are the product of hard work.