Singing and Dancing (Cantar y bailar)

This arresting work belonged to one of Francisco de Goya's celebrated private albums of drawings, known as the 'Witches and Old Women' album. Assembled by the artist in the last decade of his life, this group of works explores his interest in themes of witchcraft, dreams and nightmares. This drawing shows an old woman levitating while playing a guitar, singing and dancing as the Spanish inscription at the bottom suggests. Another woman seated below her is dressed as a nun and seems to be either pinching her nose against an unpleasant smell, or to be holding a mask to her face. Drawings such as this were made for the artist's private enjoyment and allowed Goya to give his extraordinary imagination free rein. Although highly evocative and perhaps related to Goya's contemplation of old age, the drawing's original meaning remains elusive.