A rare first printing of Francisco de Goya's much-admired Caprichos is coming to auction in November.
The collection of 80 aquatint etchings, which the Spanish artist produced in 1799, will appear at German auction house Ketterer Kunst's Old Masters & Art of the 19th Century sale on November 22.
 Another of the 300 first printings sold for $181,750 in 2002 |
"It was the Caprichos that made Goya the main protagonist of satirical graphic art," says the auction house.
"Life in Madrid, with all its immoralities and obscenities, provided the basis for these at times vicious but always ingenious observations he captured on 80 sheets."
It is thought that Goya produced just 300 first edition copies of the Caprichos. Another example of the 300 sold for $181,750 at Sotheby's in 2002.
The present collection has a high estimate of $198,574, an indication of the enduring popularity of Goya's work at auction, and the rising value of fine art in the past decade.
The sale will also include a late 16th century oil work by Flemish artist Gillis I Coignet, entitled Der Triumph der Wahrheit uber die Sunde. It has a $158,850 high valuation.
Adriaen van Ostade's oil on panel Ein Geiger unter Bauern, valued at $105,900, will lead the 17th century Dutch section.
Renaissance to Goya: Prints and Drawings from Spain, a touring exhibition on loan from the British Museum, will make its only US stop, in Santa Fe, from December until March.
We will bring you full results from the auction later in the year. To keep abreast of the latest developments in the art market in the meantime you can sign up to our free weekly newsletter.
