They Have Flown (Los Caprichos, Plate 61)

The central figure is an elegantly dressed woman with a high coiffure and lace sleeves, her arms extended outward like wings, supported by three monstrous, stunted men underneath her feet. These men are hunched over, their faces distorted and mask-like, as they collectively lift her through a barren, sky-filled space. The etching uses deep aquatint washes to contrast the light, billowing garments of the woman with the dark, heavy, and twisted forms of the creatures carrying her. The woman's expression is one of detachment or placidity, while the figures supporting her display intense, strained grimaces.

This print is a satirical commentary on the court life of 18th-century Spain, specifically referencing the scandals and perceived fickle nature of the aristocracy, famously associated with the Duchess of Alba. It utilizes the iconography of witchcraft—specifically the concept of flight supported by demons—to characterize the social climbing and moral corruption of the elite.