How they break her barrel 1799

Editor: Here we have "How they break her barrel", an etching by Francisco de Goya, created in 1799. It's…disturbing, isn’t it? The stark contrast between light and shadow amplifies the feeling of dread. How do you interpret this work through a formalist lens? Curator: Indeed. Let us consider the stark chiaroscuro. The dramatic use of light and shadow, characteristic of Goya, isn’t merely illustrative. It serves to create distinct zones of visual tension. Note how the figures emerge from an almost impenetrable darkness, drawing our attention to the corporeal forms but obscuring the broader narrative. This very obscuration is part of the intended affect. Do you see how Goya employs line to create texture and volume? Editor: Yes, the lines are incredibly dense in the shadows, making them feel almost tactile, while the highlighted areas are smoother, almost polished. The contrast is unnerving. Curator: Precisely. Goya uses intaglio, to create a world that repulses even as it attracts. The density of the lines determines tonal values. Observe how the composition, though seemingly chaotic, centers around the victim, forming a macabre focal point. Are you attuned to the relationship between the figures and the negative space? Editor: The negative space is almost suffocating. It presses in on the figures, heightening the sense of claustrophobia and panic. So, by analysing the formal elements – line, tone, composition – we see how Goya constructs a narrative of despair without explicitly detailing the historical or cultural context? Curator: Precisely. The etching technique, combined with Goya’s compositional choices and the dramatic use of light and shadow, conveys a universal sense of human suffering and the dark, often irrational impulses that drive human behavior. Editor: So, through a formalist reading, we focus on how the medium and the visual elements create meaning, even independently of a specific historical event. I found this enlightening. Curator: And I hope our analysis encourages viewers to carefully consider the artist’s formal choices as vehicles for meaning.