An old man delousing a boy in an interior, accompanied by three figures c. 1812 - 1820

Goya presents us with this intimate yet unsettling scene in ink wash, depicting an old man delousing a boy, surrounded by onlookers. Delousing, an act of cleansing and care, carries a profound weight when viewed through the lens of social strata. It is a stark reminder of the ever-present struggle against the unseen, the microscopic parasites that can bring disease. Consider the recurring motif of cleansing throughout art history, from ancient rituals to biblical scenes of purification. Washing, bathing, and delousing – these acts symbolize renewal and the banishment of impurity, yet here, they are tinged with the grim realities of poverty. The act of delousing can be seen as a symbolic gesture, evolving from religious ritual to everyday necessity, highlighting the cyclical nature of human experience and the persistence of fundamental concerns across time. Goya, through this seemingly simple scene, taps into our collective memory. The image resonates because it brings to the surface the psychological tension between care and neglect, cleanliness and destitution.