Plate 40 from 'The Disasters of War' (Los Desastres de La Guerra): 'He gets something out of it' (Algun partido saca)
Original title: Plate 40 from "The Disasters of War" (Los Desastres de La Guerra): 'He gets something out of it' (Algun partido saca)
kurzbeschreibung
Around 1810, Francisco de Goya produced plate 40 of his etching series 'The Disasters of War', which was not published until 1863, after his death. The print, worked over with drypoint and burin, presents two dead dogs on barren ground — an emblem of war's senselessness.
Description
Two lifeless dogs lie stretched out on the ground. The setting appears as a plain, flat grey zone suggesting bare earth. Precise lines and hatching capture the animals' bodies and fur. The monochrome grey scale results from the etching process. Forceful strokes give the scene its harshness.
Context
Between 1810 and 1820, Goya created the series as a response to the Napoleonic wars in Spain and the political restoration that followed. Publication during his lifetime was avoided, likely because of its explosive political content. In 1863, the Royal Academy of San Fernando in Madrid issued the first edition. Plate 40 belongs to the group that brings the plight of civilians in war before our eyes.
Impact
A sombre, oppressive mood emanates from the two dead dogs. The concentration on so little and the hard linework sharpen the statement about war's cruelty. Without pathos or heroisation, the viewer is confronted with the emptiness and futility of death.
Technique
The plate is an etching, further worked with drypoint and burin. These techniques allow fine lines and deep shadows that accurately render the texture of the dogs and the ground. The printing plate measures 17.4 × 21.5 cm and was printed on a sheet of 25 × 34.3 cm.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)