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VISUAL ART:FRANCISCO DE GOYA is, by general consent, one of the most brilliant graphic artists who has ever lived. Apart altogether from his achievements as a painter, his output as a printmaker would be more than enough to secure his place in history. As well as individual graphic works, Goya made two extraordinary series of prints, Los Caprichosand The Disastersof War. The Chester Beatty has in the past exhibited its complete collection of the latter and now the Instituto Cervantes is showing Los Caprichosin its Dublin gallery (the set was printed from Goya’s plates in 1929). While the Disasters, made in response to the artist’s experience of the Peninsular War of 1808-1814, are a searing account of human cruelty and the barbarity of warfare, the Los Caprichos, published in 1799, comment on “the innumerable foibles and follies to be found in any civilised society”.

One of the Caprichoshas attained iconic status, and has come to symbolise Goya’s art and temperament. Although originally intended as the initial image, it is number 43 in the series; in it a man – Goya, perhaps – has fallen asleep over his work table. His sleeping form is surrounded by a menagerie of nighttime creatures, cats and owls and bats. “The sleep of reason produces monsters” is a loose translation of the caption. A commentary, probably Goya’s own, elaborates: “The imagination detached from reason produces terrible monstrosities; the imagination combined with reason is mother of the arts and a source of marvels.”