Plate 14 from "The Disasters of War" (Los Desastres de la Guerra): 'It's a Hard Step!' (Duro es el paso!)

Original title: Plate 14 from "The Disasters of War" (Los Desastres de la Guerra): 'It's a Hard Step!' (Duro es el paso!)

Artist: Goya (Francisco de Goya y Lucientes)
Date: ca. 1810
Medium: Etching, drypoint, burin (working proof)
Dimensions: Plate: 5 9/16 × 6 9/16 in. (14.2 × 16.6 cm) Sheet: 8 11/16 × 12 11/16 in. (22 × 32.2 cm)
Credit line: Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1932

kurzbeschreibung

Created around 1810 as the fourteenth etching from Francisco de Goya's series 'The Disasters of War' (Los Desastres de la Guerra), this sheet survives as a working proof. Executed in etching, drypoint, and burin, it captures a group of people locked in a bitter struggle.

Description

A throng of figures is entangled in fierce combat. Some have fallen to the ground, while others loom in threatening postures. A man dominates the center, seemingly playing a decisive role in the melee. Dark tones and vigorous hatching pervade the print, evoking a somber mood. The background remains stark, making the foreground figures stand out all the more. The etching is sharp and detailed, underscoring the intensity of the action.

Context

Goya produced 'The Disasters of War' between 1810 and 1820 in response to the Napoleonic Wars in Spain and the Spanish War of Independence. The plates remained unpublished during the artist's lifetime; only in 1863 did the Academia de San Fernando issue them posthumously. The present example is a working proof that offers insight into Goya's process. The series is regarded as an unflinching indictment of the horrors of war, regardless of political allegiance.

Impact

The print evokes a sense of immediate threat and hopelessness, drawing the viewer into the fray. The harsh linework and gloomy atmosphere leave a lasting impression, a reminder of the horrors of war.

Technique

This sheet is an etching, reworked with drypoint and burin, producing fine and precise lines. The working proof reflects the state of the print before Goya may have made further changes, thus documenting his working process. The technique allows for detailed rendering of shadows and textures, contributing to the expressive impact.

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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)