Que sacrificio! 1796 - 1797

Curator: This is "Que Sacrificio!" by Francisco Goya, created between 1796 and 1797. Goya rendered this image with etching. Editor: What strikes me immediately is the composition; the dark figures pressing in on this poor woman. There is a real tension in how they are situated, hunched over. Curator: Absolutely. Goya was commenting on the societal pressures placed upon women, particularly within the context of arranged marriages. The title itself, "What a Sacrifice!", speaks volumes about the artist’s sentiment regarding the common practice. Editor: Etching is such an unforgiving medium; Goya forces you to recognize the manipulation. Look closely at the marks: you sense the pressure applied. I imagine his acidic bite exposing this tragic labor to scrutiny. Curator: The use of aquatint also builds up tone that obscures or casts gloom onto sections of the scene. These were parts of a broader series, "Los Caprichos", which critique 18th-century Spanish society and the establishment. Consider the power structures implied in that series. Editor: And the stark, unflattering characterizations; these leering men, seemingly amused by the woman's fate, are so purposefully ugly! It forces you to question their roles in the labor, the process, as the men benefit. Curator: Indeed, Goya leverages this visual language to reveal hypocrisy. His imagery challenges accepted norms and exposes the dark underbelly of society through the medium of reproductive prints to critique power dynamics. Editor: Seeing the texture, understanding the printmaking process really drives home how artists at this time leveraged these technologies to produce narratives for distribution among the wider society. This can then invite people to participate. It's almost akin to crafting social memes to shape culture! Curator: That’s a great way to put it. "Que Sacrificio!" speaks to broader socio-political criticisms embedded in "Los Caprichos", marking Goya's significant contribution to printmaking. Editor: Thinking about it this way enriches my understanding, appreciating the piece on technical craft while contemplating his political critique makes for a very complex view!