Figures waking from sleep c. 1812 - 1820

Francisco Goya rendered these figures waking from sleep in an ink wash drawing. The dominant image is that of awakening, a motif with deep roots in human culture. Consider the pose of the standing figure, hands clasped to their head. It is a gesture of distress, of sudden realization, that echoes through art history. Think of the figures in ancient Roman frescoes fleeing the eruption of Vesuvius, their gestures mirroring this primal response to catastrophe. Even the Renaissance masters like Michelangelo captured similar poses, expressing profound emotional states. What is it about this gesture that resonates so deeply within us? Perhaps it taps into a collective memory, a shared human experience of shock and fear. It is an echo passed down through generations. This image is not merely a depiction of figures waking; it is an awakening of something within ourselves, a primal recognition of human vulnerability.