The merry, the funereal and the disorderly: a formal observation of Goya's Follies

Abstract

The project of research internship abroad in Spain intends to consolidate the purpose of the research started in Brazil. Direct observation of the image is the basis of the relation between late works of the brazilian printmaker Marcello Grassmann and three of Goya's Follies (Merry Folly, Funereal Folly and Disorderly Folly). The exercise of looking at Grassmann's etchings reflects itself in the idea of seeing directly Goya's. Just as peculiar issues were raised after the observation of artwork materiality in Brazil, it is expected to bring new reflexions and inquiries on creative process and image construction of the specific etchings of Goya. To be in contact with the etchings, with specialised researchers and specialty spaces, and the geographic biographical context of the artist is of great value to the project. The research focuses in exploring how visual syntax expresses itself, even though not in an intelligible way, how effects represented by the adjectives merry, funereal and disorderly interact with compositional elements. The Follies in Goya's printmaking oeuvre are of excellent fitting for the comparison due to the fact that they are more independent of verbal language. There are no inscriptions etched, thus the relationship between image and effect materializes in a similar way to Grassmann's works that are not attached to titles. However, both artists create thematic ambiances similarly ghostly, grotesque and satirical, among other adjectives that could describe them such as the chosen merry, funereal and disorderly, and so it is possible to neighbour those who are distant in space and time. (AU)