Den tunge gang (14) 1810 - 1820

Francisco Goya’s etching presents a stark scene of figures ascending a ladder toward execution. The ladder itself is a potent symbol, a visual echo of Jacob's Ladder, but here twisted into an instrument of dread. Note how the figure’s ascent, ostensibly toward heaven, leads instead to earthly demise. The raised finger of the figure in the center is reminiscent of the hand of Saint John the Baptist, pointing toward salvation. Yet, in this context, it becomes a cruel mockery, a gesture of false hope. We see a reflection of humanity’s shadow—the capacity for cruelty masked by hollow authority. The motif of the climb reappears throughout art history, but here it embodies a psychological tension: the yearning for transcendence violently subverted by the weight of mortality. This etching serves as a chilling reminder that symbols are not fixed; they evolve, mirroring our darkest impulses across time.