Description
In A Way of Flying, Francisco Goya sends men through an immense sky using winged mechanical devices. Ropes connect their hands and feet to the artificial wings, while bird-like head coverings complete their unusual equipment. The nearest flyer bends his legs to work the apparatus, and others diminish into the surrounding space. The fantasy is made convincing through the visible effort required to sustain it.
Designed around 1815–1816 and published with the Disparates in 1864, the print gives human ingenuity an extraordinary visual form. Unlike flight achieved by witches or monsters, this ascent depends on constructed tools and bodily work. The broad tonal sky makes the freedom feel uncertain and immense. Goya does not show a landing or destination, keeping attention on the exhilarating, precarious moment when people appear to exceed an ordinary human limit.
Read our guide to giclée prints or browse the Goya collection.
Reviews
There are no reviews yet.