Three acrobats c. 1812 - 1820

Editor: Here we have Goya's "Three Acrobats," an ink drawing dating from around 1812 to 1820. I find it kind of…unsettling? The acrobats’ poses feel precarious, even strained. What do you see in this piece, that maybe I'm missing? Curator: Precarious is a great word! For me, Goya’s works often feel like peering into a fractured mirror. Here, the lightness of the ink wash almost feels like a veil, struggling to contain a certain… unease. Think of it like a stage performance: on the surface, there's skill and showmanship, but underneath? Editor: Underneath... I guess it could be read as a critique of societal performance? This relentless need to put on a show, even when things are upside down, literally! Curator: Precisely! Or even darker. Remember the historical context: Spain was in turmoil. The Napoleonic wars... Goya himself was wrestling with deafness and disillusionment. The acrobats become a metaphor: twisting and contorting to survive, while some fool blows a trumpet… Maybe? What do you make of his face? Editor: Now that you mention it, he's almost taunting the other acrobats. It adds a layer of cruelty to the performance. Goya's use of ink is so stark here. It really strips away any sense of glamour and leaves you with something quite raw. Curator: Yes, exactly! And there it is - your feeling, it's spot on! The romantic movement isn’t all languid ladies and stormy seas, right? The beauty here exists WITH and WITHIN that darkness and the struggle to maintain balance... or find it. Editor: Wow. I hadn’t thought about it that way at all. Seeing this now makes me want to re-evaluate my whole understanding of Romanticism! Thanks! Curator: My pleasure, sometimes a new way of thinking can lead to new paths to take.