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Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes

May the cord break, plate 77 from The Disasters of War

1815/20, published 1863
Etching, burnished aquatint or lavis, and drypoint on ivory wove paper with gilt edges
15.3 × 19.5 cm (6 × 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

As in the nearby Charlatan’s Show , Goya here depicted a member of the Roman Catholic clergy in a critical light. A frocked priest walks a tightrope to keep his congregation distracted from the richness of his attire and its disparity with their rags. With his arms spread to maintain balance, he looks like a swooping bird of prey.

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