Letter: A new slant on Goya

Cyril Barrett
Saturday 26 March 1994 19:02 EST
Comments

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

WHILE I read with great interest Tim Hilton's review of the Goya exhibition ('Something wicked this way comes', Review, 20 March), I was horrified that the reproduction of the Flying Witches was printed back to front.

This may seem a trivial matter, but it is not. It makes nonsense of the picture. We have inherited from Greek drama the significance of the direction in which a figure (person, character) moves, whether to left or right. Characters usually enter left and exit right. The figure in Goya's paintings is heading left, towards us, not right. It makes a difference whether the figure is simply fleeing in panic or seeking protection and comfort.

Cyril Barrett

Oxford

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in