What Is This Hubbub? 18th-19th century

Curator: Here we have Francisco Goya's etching titled "What Is This Hubbub?" from his Disasters of War series, housed at the Harvard Art Museums. What sensations arise for you when you view it? Editor: Chaos and dread. The swirling lines and dramatic contrasts give off a sense of urgent danger, a disruption of some sort. There is a figure in distress, clearly. Curator: Indeed. Goya created these images to convey the atrocities of war. The central figure's posture and the leering men certainly evoke a sense of vulnerability and the violation of innocence. It’s quite raw, really. Editor: I agree. The inscription beneath the image, which translates to “Who can avoid it?”, suggests the inevitability of suffering, especially for women during conflict. It implicates all of society. Curator: It's a chilling reminder of humanity's capacity for cruelty and the enduring consequences of war, as well as being a hauntingly beautiful work of art. Editor: Absolutely. Goya forces us to confront uncomfortable truths and question the structures that perpetuate such violence. It makes me think about who is made vulnerable, and why.