Neither More Nor Less 18th-19th century

Editor: This etching is called "Neither More Nor Less" by Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes. It feels...like a strange dream. A donkey seems to be judging a scene with other creatures. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Oh, it's delicious, isn't it? To me, it’s a jab at the elites of the time—the donkey, so self-important, probably fancies itself a connoisseur of the arts. I wonder, does Goya mean to say we’re all a bunch of dressed-up donkeys pretending to understand the world? Editor: So, a satire, then? I hadn’t thought of it that way. It's clever how he uses animals to make his point. Curator: Exactly! A bit like looking in a funhouse mirror, isn’t it? Makes you question what you thought you knew. Editor: I'll definitely view Goya's work differently now. Thanks for your insight.