Bon Voyage 18th-19th century

Curator: The piece we’re looking at is titled "Bon Voyage" by Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes, currently held in the Harvard Art Museums. What strikes you first? Editor: The overwhelming darkness, really. The figures almost seem to emerge from a murky dream. It’s quite unsettling. What medium is this? Curator: It is an etching, a process where Goya would have used acid to bite into a metal plate. The velvety blacks suggest a careful control of the process. The flying figures, could they be demons? Angels of death? Editor: Perhaps they reflect the means of coping with societal collapse—a commentary on the value or meaning of life in the face of the unspeakable. Curator: Absolutely. This image definitely resonates with potent symbols of mortality and the fragility of human existence. Editor: So, it’s not just the image, but Goya’s mastery of the physical process of etching that really amplifies the emotional impact. Curator: Agreed, the meaning is embedded in both the symbol and the craft. Editor: Definitely a powerful reminder of how intertwined process and message can be.