Comparing Francisco Goya's Women Laughing and Men Reading

The transcript discusses two paintings by Goya, 'Women Laughing' and 'Men Reading', which are considered companion pieces. Both works are smaller, vertical, and share a similar lighting source. 'Women Laughing' is unusual for Goya due to its overt sexual theme, depicting a man being mocked by two women. 'Men Reading' shows a group of men around a newspaper, possibly discussing politics. The paintings are challenging to interpret due to their poor conservation state.

Describe the significance of the men gathered around the central figure in the painting.

What does the comparison made by Francisco Javier de Salas suggest about the themes in the paintings?