De een tegen de ander 1797 - 1799

"De een tegen de ander" (One against the other) is an etching by Francisco Goya. The scene, rendered in stark monochrome, presents a macabre procession of figures that immediately captures the eye. Notice how Goya employs a high contrast of light and shadow that heightens the dramatic tension. The skeletal figures, burdened by an unseen weight, emerge from a dark backdrop. The lines are etched with a frenetic energy, particularly evident in the ghoulish faces and contorted poses. This is a dance of death, where the figures seem to struggle not just against an external force, but against their own mortality. The composition cleverly guides the viewer's eye through the chaotic scene. The figures are arranged in a tight cluster which suggests a collective suffering or shared fate. Goya destabilizes any singular meaning and instead, invites us to contemplate the absurdity and fragility of existence. The print serves as a powerful reminder of the transient nature of life, challenging the values of his time and perhaps our own.