Don't Scream, Silly 18th-19th century

Curator: This etching is titled “Don’t Scream, Silly,” by Francisco Goya. What strikes you immediately? Editor: The grotesque figures, certainly. It's like a nightmare, the sharp lines adding to the raw, unsettling feeling. Curator: Goya used aquatint to create these tonal effects and these images were part of a larger series called "Los Caprichos," meant to critique Spanish society. Editor: The figures are archetypal. The old woman perhaps represents ignorance, while the terrified woman embodies the vulnerability of innocence. Curator: Exactly, and Goya was very interested in portraying the decay of reason and the rise of superstition in his society. Editor: There's a psychological weight to it, a sense of underlying dread that speaks to deeper human fears. Curator: Seeing it through the lens of history, it becomes a powerful commentary on the social and political climate of his time. Editor: Yes, and still manages to resonate with our modern anxieties. A timeless piece in that respect.