They Are Escaping Through the Flames 18th-19th century

Curator: Here we have Goya's, "They Are Escaping Through the Flames," an etching from the Harvard Art Museums. It strikes me as a scene of pure terror. Editor: The materiality is central to understanding this work. Look at the visible work the aquatint and etching did to produce a deeply atmospheric result. Curator: Goya was a master of mood. The figures seem almost spectral, their expressions lost in the chaos. It feels so raw, like a nightmare pulled directly from the subconscious. Editor: Consider the social context! Goya witnessed so much turmoil. He used the printmaking process to reach a wider audience with his critique of power. Curator: Yes, it's a potent reminder that even in the darkest of times, there's always a flicker of hope, a desperate drive to survive, captured in this single scene. Editor: Right, and the means of production really amplify that. The grit of the etching mirrors the grit of survival. Curator: Ultimately, I find it a very moving portrayal of human resilience. Editor: Yes, and an example of how artmaking can reveal social truths.