Neither [in this case] either (Tampoco), plate 36 from "The Disasters of War" (Los Desastres de La Guerra)

Original title: Not [in this case] either (Tampoco), plate 36 from "The Disasters of War" (Los Desastres de La Guerra)

Artist: Goya (Francisco de Goya y Lucientes)
Date: 1810
Medium: Etching, burnished aquatint, drypoint
Dimensions: Plate: 6 in. × 8 1/16 in. (15.3 × 20.4 cm) Sheet: 8 in. × 9 15/16 in. (20.3 × 25.2 cm)
Credit line: Purchase, Derald H. and Janet Ruttenberg, Dr. and Mrs. Goodwin M. Breinin, Arthur Ross Foundation, and Peter H. B. Freylinghuysen Gifts, and The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1987

kurzbeschreibung

This etching by Francisco de Goya y Lucientes, made in 1810, belongs to the series 'The Disasters of War'. It captures an act of violence: a man threatens another with a sharp object, while on the ground in the background lies a wounded or dead figure. The print is executed in etching, aquatint, and drypoint.

Description

In the foreground, a man points a long, sharp object at the throat of another, whose face shows despair. Behind them, another man lies on the ground, wearing a cap and jacket, apparently wounded or dead. The layout is clear, with the figures distinctly separated. The background appears gray and murky, reinforcing the somber mood. Gray tones dominate, with no color contrasts, as this is an etching.

Context

The etching was created during the Napoleonic occupation of Spain (1808–1814). It is part of a series of 82 plates that Goya made between 1810 and 1820, published posthumously in 1863. In these works, Goya processed his experiences of the horrors of war and criticized its cruelty regardless of political affiliation. The plate 'Tampoco' (Neither) belongs to a group of images addressing senseless violence against civilians.

Impact

From the first glance, an oppressive atmosphere weighs on the viewer, created by the dark gray tones and the menacing arrangement. The immediate confrontation with violence and the expressive face of the victim are directly touching and shocking. Without pathos, Goya confronts the viewer with the brutality of war.

Technique

The plate combines etching with burnished aquatint and drypoint. This produces fine gradations of gray: aquatint provides soft, tonal areas, while drypoint adds fine, scratchy lines. This combination gives the motif a dense, atmospheric texture.

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