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How did Francisco Goya use aquatint in his print series?

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Francisco Goya: Self-portrait — Francisco Goya Detail of *Self-portrait*, etching by Francisco Goya from the series *Los caprichos*, 1799.

Francisco Goya is widely considered the greatest master of aquatint, a technique he utilized to transform his printmaking into a medium of profound artistic expression.12

In his major print cycles, such as the 80 etchings of Los caprichos, Goya typically combined traditional line etching with aquatint. By applying this process, he achieved sophisticated tonal effects that provided his work with "astonishing dramatic vitality". While line etching defined the forms, the aquatint allowed him to create broad, atmospheric areas of tone that moved beyond simple illustration, enabling him to explore themes of human folly, social corruption, and political abuse with greater intensity.321

His masterful control of these tonal values allowed him to move away from conventional formulas, giving him the freedom to incorporate "fantasy and invention" into his work. This technical innovation remains a landmark achievement in the history of engraving, cementing his legacy as one of the most significant printmakers in history.32