Plate 41 from 'The Disasters of War' (Los Desastres de La Guerra): 'They escape through the flames' (Escapan entre las llamas)
Original title: Plate 41 from "The Disasters of War" (Los Desastres de La Guerra): 'They escape through the flames' (Escapan entre las llamas)
kurzbeschreibung
This print from 1810 belongs to Goya's series 'The Disasters of War' (Los Desastres de la Guerra). It shows a flight from fire. The etching with drypoint survives as a proof impression, revealing the Spanish artist's expressive linework.
Description
From the right, a large fire advances on a group of people fleeing in panic. A woman in a white dress is supported by a man in dark clothing; another man, also in dark clothes, hurries ahead of them. Other figures are in motion, adding to the dynamism. The greys of the etching create an urgent, dangerous mood, with light and shadow emphasised by the strokes.
Context
Between 1810 and 1820, Goya made the 82 plates of 'Los Desastres de la Guerra' in response to the Napoleonic Wars in Spain and the subsequent famine in Madrid. Publication during his lifetime was impossible for political reasons; the etchings appeared only posthumously in 1863. Plate 41 belongs to a group dealing with the war's effects on civilians.
Impact
The expressive lines and the immediate threat of the flames give the scene a strong emotional urgency. The movement of the figures and the intense play of light and shadow create an almost cinematic dynamism that draws the viewer into the action.
Technique
The etching was executed with drypoint (burin), which allows sharp contours and fine shading. The proof impression demonstrates Goya's precise linework, achieved by biting the lines into the metal plate and then printing onto paper.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)