Cruel Tale of Woe! 18th-19th century

Editor: This etching is titled "Cruel Tale of Woe!" by Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes, housed in the Harvard Art Museums. It’s somber, tragic even. What do you see in this piece that perhaps I'm missing? Curator: Oh, but you’ve already touched its heart, haven't you? The piece speaks of suffering, a lament. Goya, he wasn't one to shy away from the darkness, was he? Look at how he uses aquatint to create those deep shadows. I think it gives the scene a certain weight, a palpable sense of sorrow. What do *you* think? Editor: I agree. It’s not a pretty picture, but there’s something compelling about its rawness. Thank you for helping me see more in it. Curator: The pleasure was all mine. Art like this, it's meant to stir us, to make us feel, wouldn’t you agree?