Hurry Up, They Are Waking 18th-19th century

Curator: This is Francisco Goya's etching "Hurry Up, They Are Waking," part of Los Caprichos. The aquatint process adds tonal depth to the piece. Editor: It feels like a bad dream – this frantic activity amidst such decay, like some grotesque kitchen scene from a fairy tale gone wrong. Curator: Goya was commenting on the societal decay. Notice the labor being done: the sweeping, the serving. Editor: And the skeletal figures in the background... Is that supposed to be music, or just a macabre soundtrack to this grim feast? Curator: It underscores the futility, the relentless cycle of labor and consumption. What good is it all, with death looming? Editor: It's a dark vision, presented with such stark clarity. Makes you think about what we're all hurrying for. Curator: Indeed. It's a testament to Goya's craftsmanship and his unflinching gaze at the structures that govern and confine us. Editor: A haunting reminder of the dance between life and death, beautifully rendered, however disturbing the subject.