Two Old Ones Eating Soup / The Witchy Brew 1823

Editor: This is Francisco Goya's "Two Old Ones Eating Soup," painted around 1823. The raw, almost grotesque depiction is really striking. What’s going on here? What can you tell me about this piece? Curator: Goya created this towards the end of his life, in a Spain wracked by political turmoil and social unrest. Think of the suppression of liberal movements under Ferdinand VII and a pervasive fear of societal breakdown. How might this socio-political environment affect an artist’s work, their choice of subjects, or even the way they portray the human figure? Editor: Well, I guess that sense of dread and maybe even societal decay is clear in this painting, I can see that the old people appear somewhat menacing or at least disturbing. Curator: Precisely! The grotesque imagery isn't merely aesthetic. Goya might be using the image of decaying elderly figures to comment on a society that is also decaying. In his series of Black Paintings there is no sense of beauty to be found; the colour is all browns and black with subjects bordering on madness or delusion. Does this not seem as if it’s speaking directly to his own anxieties about the fate of Spain? Editor: It’s interesting to consider the painting as a political commentary in this context rather than a straightforward depiction of old age, using disturbing images as cultural criticism of Spain during his lifetime! Thank you. Curator: My pleasure! Remembering context helps us ask deeper questions. How did the patrons of the art at the time feel, how did Goya portray previous rulers? These considerations give additional angles to understanding.