A Street in Seville n.d.

Mariano Fortuny Marsal created this etching, "A Street in Seville," capturing a fleeting moment of everyday life. Here we see figures grouped in conversation or perhaps in a transaction, their forms and expressions obscured by the rapid, suggestive lines. Note the figure on the right, with hands outstretched. This gesture, across time and culture, has appeared in countless artworks from antiquity to the Renaissance. Think of orators addressing crowds, deities bestowing blessings, or figures expressing grief. The gesture transcends mere imitation; it is a primal expression embedded in our collective memory. In the hands of Fortuny, this gesture perhaps signifies supplication or the act of giving. Through a psychoanalytic lens, this primal posture resonates with subconscious emotions and instincts, engaging viewers on a profound level. This seemingly simple etching reveals the enduring power of symbols, demonstrating how gestures and forms can be both timeless and deeply personal, resurfacing and evolving through history, each time imbued with new meaning.