Que Sacrificio! is a print created by Francisco Goya in 1797-98 as part of his series, “Los Caprichos.” The artwork depicts a young woman being courted by an unattractive man in front of her family. This theme of mismatched couples or unequal marriages was recurrent in Goya’s work, criticizing the societal pressure on women to marry for financial gain rather than love.
The print highlights the sacrifice parents make by marrying off their daughters to wealthy but often much older men. Goya used “Los Caprichos” as a medium to condemn universal follies and foolishness in Spanish society. The series consisted of 80 prints that varied from jolly and lighthearted to deeply pessimistic and critical.
Francisco Goya is regarded as one of the most prominent Spanish artists of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. His paintings, drawings, etchings, frescoes portray diverse themes ranging from formal portraits of the Spanish Court highlighting wealth and power but also containing veiled criticisms towards ineffectual rulers and their circle. His works reveal deep searching into societal issues, human nature, superstitions, war horrors among others. Overall Que Sacrificio! stands as one amongst many enlightening artworks by Francisco Goya that served as criticism against some social norms.”
