One Cannot Watch This 18th-19th century

Curator: This is “One Cannot Watch This” by Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes, currently held at the Harvard Art Museums. It’s a small print, roughly 14.5 by 20 cm. What's your immediate reaction? Editor: Gut-wrenching. The title is spot on. It’s that moment right before… the unspeakable, bodies huddled together for some semblance of protection, yet utterly vulnerable. Curator: Goya often uses darkness to symbolize ignorance or oppression. Notice how the light only illuminates the executioners, obscuring the faces of the victims. Editor: Right, the faceless firing squad. It's a universal image of terror, isn't it? The blind acceptance of authority leading to unimaginable cruelty. Curator: Precisely. He captures the breakdown of social order and empathy, a theme prevalent in the “Disasters of War” series. It reflects a deep psychological and cultural wound. Editor: Even now, centuries later, it rattles the soul. I keep wanting to look away, but can’t. Perhaps that's the point, isn't it? To confront the darkness.