Blow 18th-19th century

Curator: Goya's etching, "Blow," part of his Disparates series, uses aquatint to create this unsettling image. What's your initial take? Editor: It feels like a fever dream—a grotesque puppeteer playing with skeletal figures under the unsettling gaze of…are those faces in the clouds? It's nightmarish. Curator: The aquatint process allowed Goya to achieve these shadowy effects, adding depth and a sense of decay. It almost feels like an indictment of power structures. Editor: Absolutely, the figures are emaciated, powerless. The puppeteer, likely symbolizing authority, is manipulating them. But there's an undeniable allure, a dark beauty in its macabre imagery. I'm strangely drawn to its honesty about human cruelty. Curator: Goya really pushes us to question social and political realities using the print medium to disseminate his critiques widely. Editor: Leaving us to confront the darkness, but maybe find a flicker of understanding in the process. Curator: Precisely. It's a stark reminder of the artist's ability to transform the mundane materials of printmaking into an enduring social commentary.