Description
A seated man holds a limp young woman in Tantalus, their closely joined bodies giving longing a painful human form. The contrast between the supporting figure and the unresponsive body makes the encounter intensely intimate. Goya’s ancient title deepens the scene through its association with a desire that cannot be satisfied.
The etching and aquatint belong to the Caprichos designed around 1798–99, when Goya turned social observation into a series of pointed and ambiguous images. Here the title deepens the scene rather than simply naming its participants. The work remains compelling through that tension between what is desired and what can be attained, bringing an ancient idea of suffering into a close, emotionally charged encounter.
Read our guide to giclée prints or browse the Goya collection.
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