GOYA AND MIRÓ

4th September to 2nd November 2025

Celebrating the work of two Spanish masters, the exhibition will feature the Los Caprichos etchings by Francisco Goya as well as a selection of stunning lithographs by Joan Miró.

The Los Caprichos Etchings

The Los Caprichos etchings were published in 1799 and Goya is thought to have sold only 27 copies before withdrawing them from circulation due to the Inquisition. Most of the remaining copies of the edition were purchased by King Charles IV of Spain. The work was an enlightened, tour-de-force critique of 18th century Spain, and humanity in general. The informal style as well as the depiction of contemporary society found in the Caprichos, makes them and Goya himself, a precursor to the modernist movement almost a century later.

Joan Miró The Lithographs

Miró was born in Barcelona in 1893, but from his mid-20s spent much of his time in Paris. His early work was influenced by various movements – Fauvism, Cubism and Dadaism – but he was particularly associated with the Surrealists. Miró stood apart from other members of the movement, innovating in the field of abstraction while using none of the superficial devices of the other Surrealists.

Drawing on his universe of signs and symbols, he was able to create a world populated by strange configurations in vivid colours. He made many prints throughout his career and in 1954 he was given the Venice Biennale print making prize. The Foundation Joan Miró was opened in 1975 overlooking Barcelona. He died in 1983.