Plate 54 from 'The Disasters of War' (Los Desastres de la Guerra): 'Appeals are in vain' (Clamores en vano)
Original title: Plate 54 from "The Disasters of War" (Los Desastres de la Guerra): 'Appeals are in vain' (Clamores en vano)
kurzbeschreibung
This sheet, plate 54 from Goya's etching series 'The Disasters of War', was made in 1811–12. It shows a group of desperate people in a barren landscape. The image combines etching, lavis, drypoint, and burnisher on paper.
Description
Gathered in mournful despair, people lie on the ground, sit, or stand. Their simple clothing suggests they are rural folk. Behind them rises a wooden structure that looks like a makeshift roof. Gray tones and diffuse light spread across the whole surface, creating a gloomy mood. The layout stretches horizontally, emphasizing the vastness of the event.
Context
Between 1810 and 1820, Goya responded with this series to the Napoleonic Wars in Spain and their aftermath. During the artist's lifetime, the prints remained unpublished; the first edition appeared only in 1863. Plate 54 belongs to the second half of the cycle, which focuses on the hardship and suffering of civilians. These etchings are considered one of the earliest visual protests against the horrors of war.
Impact
The dark gray tonality and diffuse light produce an oppressive, hopeless atmosphere. The horizontally stretched arrangement intensifies the feeling of inescapability and emptiness. The sheet feels immediate and moving, without sentimental exaggeration.
Technique
The print is an etching with lavis, a technique that creates tonal gradations through acid biting. Drypoint and burnisher were also used to add fine lines and corrections. This combination allows for rich chiaroscuro modeling and an expressive, sketch-like effect.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)