Plate 56 from "The Disasters of War" (Los Desastres de la Guerra): 'To the cemetery' (Al cementerio)
Original title: Plate 56 from "The Disasters of War" (Los Desastres de la Guerra): 'To the cemetery' (Al cementerio)
kurzbeschreibung
A wounded or dead man is carried by a group toward a wall—this motif is captured by Francisco de Goya y Lucientes in the etching 'Al cementerio' (To the Cemetery). The print belongs to the series 'Los Desastres de la Guerra' and was made in 1811–12. In it, the artist confronts the horrors of the Spanish War of Independence.
Description
In the foreground, an exhausted man drags a second who lies wounded or ill. Behind them, two more figures lie on the ground, one motionless. A wall closes off the pictorial space; it may be read as a boundary or as protection. Kept in shades of gray with sparse light, the print spreads a gloomy mood. The style remains realistic and rich in detail.
Context
Between 1810 and 1820, Goya worked on the series, which was not published until 1863. The prints capture the terrors of the war against Napoleon and the subsequent political turmoil in Spain. 'Al cementerio' belongs to that group of scenes that bring home the consequences of the fighting and the suffering of the civilian population. During these years, the artist increasingly turned away from courtly art.
Impact
Exhaustion and hopelessness hang over the print. The subdued gray scale and the focus on the carrying figure make the burden and sorrow clearly palpable. The image feels like a report and awakens the viewer's compassion.
Technique
Goya used etching, lavis (wash), and drypoint. The lavis creates soft tonal transitions, the drypoint delicate, precise lines. The print was pulled on paper; the plate measures 15.5 × 20.5 cm.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)