The Fall or The Accident 1787

Curator: Oh my, what a dramatic scene! This painting titled "The Fall or The Accident" throws you right into the aftermath of some kind of calamity. There's a definite air of chaos and distress hanging over it. Editor: Indeed, the composition heightens that sense of unease. Allow me to provide some context. This oil on canvas was created by Francisco de Goya around 1787, but unlike many of his other pieces that dealt directly with sociopolitical turmoil, this feels far more intimate, personal. It feels, above all, gendered. Curator: Gendered, how so? It feels quite timeless actually in its depiction of tragedy in the wild. Editor: Look closely: two women riding donkeys, one ecstatic, another visibly upset. Consider 18th-century constructions of femininity: the expectation of composure versus visible distress, social rank. The painting may seem to present a universal accident but I believe it prompts to consider who had the means of transport and who could express fear in a delicate manner versus other marginalized identities, those potentially injured but needing to maintain face. Curator: Interesting. I hadn’t considered those layers, but your reading offers an alternative narrative around those tropes. It brings a sharpness to the seemingly picturesque setting. Goya positions it all within this very traditionally romantic, very controlled landscape. Editor: Exactly! Goya uses the conventions to subvert our expectations. Note the contrast between the immediate distress and the indifference of the further travelers up the path. They carry on unaware, undisturbed by the "accident" taking place nearby. Curator: I notice how the use of light really emphasizes the figures. See how the palette becomes so muted deeper into the painting to force your gaze at that group right there in front of us. What's your take on his choice of medium? How does the use of oil paint shape the feeling here? Editor: Goya’s characteristic boldness comes across in his energetic brushstrokes here. Oil paints offer Goya the opportunity to really add texture to the immediacy of what has taken place and add a dynamism to the otherwise potentially static subject. That dynamic brushwork seems key to unlocking those latent gender politics. Curator: I agree, there’s an unmissable vibrancy despite what is potentially an act of fatal harm and violence. The context you've introduced truly casts "The Fall" in a fresh and powerful light, underscoring its social underpinnings, inviting the viewer to reflect on who has the privilege to visibly grieve when facing trauma. Editor: My pleasure. It seems to me that a broader understanding of sociopolitical and societal context of artistic production enriches the emotional and analytical possibilities of appreciating artworks across different periods.