Heavier Than a Dead Donkey c. 1813 - 1820

Curator: So, here we have Francisco Goya's etching, dating from between 1813 and 1820, entitled "Heavier Than a Dead Donkey." Editor: My first impression? A sinister playground. A macabre nursery rhyme. Those women, their expressions... and the men caught mid-air like grotesque puppets. Curator: The work belongs to Goya's "Disasters of War" series, but unlike the outright battlefield scenes, this one has a quieter, more insidious violence. The 'game' they're playing feels... performative. Editor: Exactly. It’s like a twisted ritual, isn't it? The women appear to be using a blanket to toss these men into the air, and the title implies some kind of crushing weight or disappointment. I'm immediately drawn to the gaze of the women—cool, detached. There’s a gendered power dynamic here. They seem both perpetrators and, somehow, victims of a social order. Curator: There’s certainly an element of performance, perhaps an unsettling commentary on societal complicity in the face of cruelty. Goya often used the grotesque to unmask hypocrisy. Think about who is truly in control and how ridiculous it all is! It’s as heavy as...well, you know! Editor: I see these bodies flung upwards, without agency or control. It speaks volumes about the vulnerable bodies impacted by war and systemic injustices. Consider, also, that "disasters of war" isn’t merely about literal battle. It implicates systems of power, and the many social tiers within it that are necessary for sustaining violence. Curator: He was never afraid to call it like it is! And don't forget the brilliant artistic craft at work, too! Editor: Indeed. "Heavier Than a Dead Donkey" provides a chilling reminder. As such, its art historical significance still resonates for us today!