How They Pluck Them! 18th-19th century

Curator: Goya's print, "How They Pluck Them!" strikes me as deeply unsettling. The figures seem caught in a nightmarish ritual. Editor: Indeed. Goya was a master of etching and aquatint, and here he uses those techniques to highlight the brutal realities of the time. Curator: The title itself is loaded. I'm curious about the process of creating the aquatint—the layering of acid, the manipulation of the plate to achieve such a range of tones. Editor: Look at their faces: are they grotesque caricatures, or expressions of desperation and societal decay? This piece resonates with feminist scholars exploring the disenfranchisement of women in art and society. Curator: It's a stark reminder that even within refined artistic traditions, labor and power dynamics are at play. Editor: Ultimately, this work reminds us that art can be a profound mirror reflecting both beauty and societal ills. Curator: A starkly realized piece that urges one to consider the artist’s process and the social critique embedded within.