That is the worst of it! (Esto es lo peor!)
Original title: Plate 74 from "The Disasters of War" (Los Desastres de la Guerra): 'That is the worst of it!' (Esto es lo peor!)
kurzbeschreibung
Francisco de Goya made this print, plate 74 of his series Los Desastres de la Guerra, in 1814–15, though it was not printed until 1863. Executed as an etching with burnisher, it presents a drastic scene of human suffering in war.
Description
A man kneeling on the ground clutches a child while a wolf attacks him. Above him stands a woman looking down; other figures watch the event. A child lies on the earth, and another figure also holds a child in their arms. The layout remains tightly confined, the ink heavily shaded, bringing out the cruelty of the action.
Context
The etchings were created between 1810 and 1820, triggered by the occupation of Spain under Napoleon and the ensuing civil war. Only in 1863, 35 years after Goya's death, did the series appear in print. This plate belongs to the later works of the series, in which allegorical and symbolic traits increase.
Impact
The somber mood and the menacing wolf evoke strong feelings in the viewer. The crowded arrangement and delicate lines heighten the sense of confinement and despair.
Technique
Etching with burnisher was used, a process that allows fine lines and nuanced shading. The gray values arise from the varying density of ink on the paper.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)