Construction in progress c. 1812 - 1820

Editor: So, this ink drawing, "Construction in Progress," by Francisco de Goya, dates back to around 1812-1820. It feels incredibly raw, almost unfinished. It captures this immense construction site, but what truly grabs my attention is the sheer number of people, all crammed together, working tirelessly. It's like a snapshot of societal struggle. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Ah, yes, Goya's way of capturing the essence of humanity with just a few strokes is truly captivating. To me, this isn't just about the literal construction of something physical, but perhaps more so about the societal construction – the back-breaking labor upon which societies are built, often at the expense of the many. What do you make of the presence of the figures standing still overseeing the construction at the bottom left? Editor: Good point! The way they are positioned at the lower-left certainly brings an element of supervision and power dynamics to play. I wonder if there's a social commentary about class structures interwoven into what I thought was simply a chaotic snapshot. Curator: Precisely! And it’s Goya's genius to present that commentary without being didactic. We feel it viscerally. We sense the inequalities, the weight of labor, the disparities between those who toil and those who observe. Does it not remind you that even within supposed progress, there is always someone doing the lifting, and others perhaps disproportionately benefiting? Editor: Definitely, and it makes me reconsider my initial perception. I came in seeing the “construction,” but now I’m questioning what exactly is being constructed, and for whom. It seems so much bigger than just a building. Curator: Indeed! Art at its finest invites us to question, to feel, to see beyond the surface. What have we unearthed for ourselves today? Editor: That perspectives shape reality, I think. I came in with what I saw but that view can deepen when looking with other lenses and with historical context, and that art should really be questioned as deeply as you can.