Out Hunting for Teeth (A Caza de Dientes) by Fancisco Goya (Interpretation and Analysis)

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Out Hunting for Teeth
Source: MET Museum
Francisco Goya’s print series Los Caprichos is widely considered to be one the most influential artistic projects of its time. The Caprichos were not widely known at the time of their publication, but they had a resounding impact on art over the next hundred years. Although the Caprichos series explores themes of the Enlightenment—which is usually associated with logic and reason—many of the prints are incredibly dark, full of violence, chaos, and black magic.

Thus, they’re perfect for Spooky Season (a.k.a. October).

A Caza de Dientes (which translates to Out Hunting for Teeth) is one of the most disturbing scenes in the series. The piece depicts a young woman reaching into the mouth of a hanged man to extract his teeth. Her face is turned away in horrified disgust and she holds a cloth up to her cheeks as if it will defend her from the repulsive act she performs. The corpse hangs from a rope of the right, hands bound together and feet bare.

The print references a common belief that a hanged man’s teeth were efficacious for spells and sorcery. Teeth were thought to be especially useful in love potions, which is why Goya depicts a young woman extracting teeth. As one contemporary commentator noted, “Hangman's teeth are very effective for spells. What is a woman in love capable of!” Like all thinkers of the Enlightenment, Goya was highly critical of superstition, which he believed held Spanish society back, and the disgust on the woman’s face demonstrates this.

The print is a strong condemnation of superstition, yet it is a shockingly graphic depiction of death, sheared of the usual romanticism that artists of the time used when depicting dead bodies. As is typical of Goya, he portrays the truth as he sees it, even if it is ugly.

Disclaimer: I’m not an art historian or an expert on this topic. The above is my opinion, based on my interpretation of my foreknowledge of art and history. If I’ve done any additional research, I’ll note it above.

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