He gets something out of it
1814 - 1815. Etching, Drypoint, Burin on wove paper.Not on display
Situated at the midpoint of the series, this print is, because of its allegorical nature, similar to those that make up the last section called Caprichos enfáticos (Emphatic caprichos). In fact, Algún partido saca has traditionally been related to plate 81, entitled Fiero monstruo! (Fierce monster!), which represents a fabulously large animal regurgitating the naked bodies of dead men. Both the meaning of the print and the significance of its placement in the series have been a subject of debate since its publication in 1863. None of the various interpretations offered, however, are completely convincing, owing to the lack of clear references, the cryptic nature of Goya's compositions and the ambiguity of his titles.Placed immediately following the bloodiest scenes, in which savagely mutilated bodies of executed combatants are immodestly exhibited, this etching marks the beginning of the group of prints that show the suffering of the civilian population, which was the indirect consequence of the war, the refugees from the cities, the absence of solidarity among the clergy (but also their own suffering) and, above all, the famine and its tragic effects.We are moved to ponder the meaning of the print in part by its ambiguous title: Algún partido saca, sometimes translated into English as There is something to be gained, although more literally it would be She (or he) gets something out of it.The identity of the two figures is unclear, as is the nature of the action depicted. We may intuit that the human figure is female, owing to the skirts it wears. She strongly grasps the neck of an animal that is difficult to identify, though its monstrous nature is apparent in its front claws and prominent fangs. Lying on the ground with its eyes half-open, the beast is breathing its last breath, as a result of the stab wound to its jaw; its open mouth allows us to see the tip of the protruding knife.Scholars and critics have always recognised the difficulty in interpreting this scene. Some have imagined the beast is an image of the defeated afrancesado, or French sympathiser. Others suggest the scene represents the bravery of the Spanish nation, wielding humble arms like the knife, here, yet capable of defeating the ferocious army of Napoleon. Others argue that the scene is an allegorical representation of the brutality and inequality of war itself. Whatever the case may be, Goya uses his customary devices in the series to direct our attention to what he wishes us to notice. Thus, the heroine of the composition is highlighted by the use of white space to represent the tensed lower portion of her body, which is contrasted with the heavy etching of her upper body and the animal to which she is clinging. Goya's skill at suggesting ideas through simple compositional elements is evident in the way he has treated her feet: her left foot, lightly supported on her big toe, denotes the tension running along her body diagonally up to the monster's snout, while her right foot is planted firmly on the ground, revealing the force she is exerting with her whole body, in contrast to the laxness of the animal's forepaws (Matilla, J. M.: Portrait of Spain. Masterpieces from the Prado, Queensland Art Gallery-Art Exhibitions Australia, 2012, p. 224).
