Por una Navaja

Picture Rights

Courtesy of the Miami University Art Museum

Print Title

Por una Navaja

Accession Number

1981.12

Artist

Goya Lucientes, Francisco José de, 1746-1828

Date Created

1906

Edition

Fourth

Print/Plate Number

34

Description

Por una Navaja (On the account of a knife) is the 34th plate in the Desastres series of prints. The print centers on a man tied to a stake. The man is the central figure of the print, and appears to be on a large stage, devoid of people. The central figure appears to be a priest, wearing a black robe, and is holding a small cross in his hands. The man’s eyes are closed and his face appears “at peace”. The man appears to be middle-aged, or older, with a wizened face, and a beard, and gangly hair. Around his neck, is a small string, with a piece of rolled up paper tied to it. Also, posted on his chest is a larger piece of paper that reads “Por ….”, with the rest of the text being unreadable. There is also what appears to be a stake sticking out of the back of what appears to be the priest. In the background, and just above the ground plane, a gaggle of figures watches this macabre scene. The figures mostly look away from the scene, with their heads covered, and eyes averted. The priest is most likely dead, and this appears to be his punishment for a crime he committed. The title “on the account of a knife”, could tell us what his sentence is. The priest could have been convicted of stealing a knife, or possessing one. This print could show what Goya believed to be ridiculous punishments. Goya’s other series often involve a sense of social satire or irony, criticizing systems that exist in the world.

Edition Provenance

The print was acquired by Miami University Art Museum in 1981, as a set of two donations by a donor named Robert Martin. Martin is a now-retired English professor at Miami University. Martin acquired the prints in the mid 1970s, and had them until 1981, where he donated them to the Miami University Art Museum. Martin bought the prints from Park West Galleries in Michigan. Martin attended auctions in Centerville; Dayton Ohio, and Cincinnati Ohio in the North Side. Martin bought multiple artworks from Park West, but only donated the Goya’s to the Miami University Art Museum. The prints came with a certificate of authenticity, so Martin knew they were real prints. By conducting and analysis of the paper, with the assistance of the Goya Prints Catalogue Raisone provided by the Cincinnati Art Museum, it was determined that the prints were fourth edition. The fourth edition prints were created in the Calcografia Nacional in Spain for the Real Academia in 1906. Unfortunately, there is a large gap between when the edition was printed, and when it came into possession of Park West Galleries. More research will need to be completed to determine when and how the prints arrived at Park West.

Condition

For shorthand, the print will be split into 9 sections, going from Top (T), Center (C) , Bottom (B), and Left (L), center (C) , Right (R) . There is cockling throughout the plate, as well as a visible plate mark. In addition, the right side has a prominent crease mark.

Holding Institution

Miami University (Oxford, Ohio; United States). Art Museum

Owned By

Miami University (Oxford, Ohio; United States). Art Museum (1981-Present)

Robert Martin (United States). (1971-1981)

Park West Galleries (Southfield, Michigan; United States). (Unknown-1971)

Calcografia Nacional (Madrid, Spain). (1906-Unknown)

Item