Riña de gatos

Two cats fight atop a brick wall. The horizontal format of the work allows it to be identified as a transom painting. Goya analyzes the nature of the animal, depicting them with great realism. The painter would repeat this theme in his Caprichos series and had previously done so in his Italian Sketchbook (es).

There has been considerable controversy among scholars regarding the authorship of the painting, as it bears no relation to the series of cartoons that Goya painted for El Pardo. Nor are the typical features of Goya's painting style very clearly visible, perhaps due to the long period of time that the cartoon spent in a basement exposed to humidity.

Despite this, the fact that it features only animals is a striking gesture. The positions of the cats allow for an important study of nature. The perspective is traditional in the felts, as in The Drinker (es).

• List of Francisco Goya's tapestry cartoons

• Information about the work on the official website of the Prado Museum