Other Laws for the People 18th-19th century

Editor: So, this is Goya’s “Other Laws for the People,” a print from, well, we're not sure exactly when! It feels very… strange. The elephant seems so imposing next to those shadowy figures. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Ah, Goya! For me, this etching feels like a darkly humorous jab at authority. Those little men, weighed down by documents, seem to be presenting laws to... an elephant. It’s absurd, right? But perhaps Goya’s suggesting that these laws are as incomprehensible to the common person as they would be to an animal. What do you think? Editor: I hadn't thought of it that way - the elephant *is* an unlikely recipient. I’ll never look at political satire the same way. Curator: Exactly! Sometimes the most profound statements come wrapped in the most unexpected imagery.