Witches Sabbath

This magnificent painting by Goya was part of a series of six commissioned by the dukes of Osuna to decorate their estate “El Capricho”, near Madrid. The main character in the scene is the devil, depicted as a large male goat who is being given two boys as an offering. The set of paintings, as well as representing episodes inspired by the 1610 Logroño Auto-da-fe, is considered to be a satirical criticism of the superstition of the educated society to which the Duke of Osuna and the painter belonged.