Esto si que es leer. 1796 - 1797

Editor: So, this is "Esto si que es leer." or "This is really knowing how to read," by Francisco Goya, made around 1796-97. It's an etching and aquatint print. There’s definitely something unsettling about the expressions in this print; they almost feel like they are mocking the central figure. How do you interpret this work? Curator: This image, part of Goya’s *Los Caprichos*, transcends mere caricature. The seeming assault on this old man by grotesque figures becomes a powerful commentary on enlightenment ideals under siege. Consider the socio-political climate: The French Revolution had just ended and traditional hierarchies felt threatened. Editor: I see what you mean! The old man’s exaggerated features alongside these shadowy figures... Curator: Exactly. Could Goya be suggesting that reason, represented by the engrossed reader, is being besieged by ignorance and malice? Notice how the shadows seem to represent social unrest. Goya was a court painter but through his prints, he critiqued society’s ills: superstition, ignorance and abuse of power. Editor: That’s a potent reading, especially considering the title's irony. It’s not about reading for knowledge but rather about the struggle for knowledge in a hostile world. Curator: Precisely. Think of it as a microcosm of societal tensions where intellectualism, personified by this aging scholar, is under constant threat. The *Los Caprichos* series reflects this fear of society turning back to darker ways of thinking. This piece becomes an intersectional lens that reveals power dynamics in late 18th-century Spain. Editor: I hadn't considered it in that light. I was focused on the individuals and the immediate expressions, but contextualizing it within that period of revolution and upheaval makes so much more sense. Thanks for this perspective! Curator: Absolutely! Viewing artwork as embedded within historical and political realities is crucial for truly understanding its power.