Why Hide Them?, Plate 30
1799
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
1799
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
Why Hide Them?, Plate 30 is a 1799 by Francisco Goya, a Romanticism work, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.
This sketch shows four people crowded around a sick man lying on a bed. The man’s face is twisted in pain, and his hands clutch a small object. Two others stand behind him—one with a baby in each arm, both grinning. The fourth person, in a tall hat, also smiles oddly at the scene. The whole image feels tense and dark. The title underneath, *"Porque esconderlas?"* means *"Why hide them?"*—a hint the babies might be the key. Goya often used humor and shock to point out uncomfortable truths. Look up chiaroscuro to see how artists use light and shadow to create drama.
