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Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes

Charlatan's show, plate 75 from The Disasters of War

1815/20, published 1863
Etching, aquatint or lavis, burin and burnishing on ivory wove paper with gilt edges
14.8 × 19.6 cm (5.8 × 7.7 in)

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In the collection of Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago · as of July 2026

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FROM THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO’S CATALOG

The 82 etchings made privately by Goya in response to Napoleon’s onslaught on Spanish soil focused on the war’s effects on all the people of Spain, not just the soldiers. In this eerie image, a priest who appears to be wearing a bird mask performs a ritual before a weary crowd. Through the clergyman’s costume and dramatic pose, as well as the work’s title, Goya likened religion to mountebanks and stage productions.

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