The artwork titled “When day breaks we will be off” is a creation by Francisco Goya, dating back to 1799. It is an etching on paper, with dimensions of 19.8 x 15.2 cm. This piece is part of the notable “Los Caprichos” series and is rendered in the Romanticism style, commonly associated with vivid emotional expression and imaginative elements. The genre of this particular work has been characterized as a caricature, and it is currently housed in a private collection.
In the artwork presented, we observe a group of ghoulish figures against a backdrop of a dark, star-speckled sky. At first glance, the scene evokes a sense of chaos and nocturnal disarray. The central figures are engaged in an uncanny embrace or struggle, their twisted forms and exaggerated features contributing to the overall feeling of distortion and unease. The expressiveness and contorted bodies reflect the Romantic penchant for heightened emotion and societal critique. The presence of these nightmarish creatures appearing to rise or gather with the approaching day, coupled with the caption “Se amanecer; y nos Vamos,” which translates to “When day breaks we will be off,” imparts a sense of transient malevolence, fading with the coming light. The capricious nature of Goya’s work often reveals a deeper societal commentary, possibly alluding to ignorance, superstition, or the ephemeral nature of human follies.