Exhibitions
Goya's Mastery in Prints: Los Desastres de la Guerra
October 11, 2007 - February 3, 2008
Francisco José de Goya
(1746-1828),
Y no hay remedio (And there's no help for it),
1810-1820
Plate No. 15 from Los Desastres de la Guerra, etching on paper,
Meadows Museum, SMU, Dallas, Algur H. Meadows Collection,
MM.67.08.15.
Photograph by Michael Bodycomb.
UAMA continues the
presentation of Goya's Mastery in Prints, a
four-exhibition cycle of extraordinary etching suites by Francisco de
Goya on loan from the Meadows Museum at Southern Methodist University in
Dallas, Texas. These exhibitions celebrate the Spanish master's
revolutionary graphic techniques and profound influence on subsequent
artistic generations.
This extraordinary cycle of exhibitions continues with Los Desastres
de
la Guerra (The Disasters of War, 1810-1820), inspired by Goya's
reaction
to the Peninsular War of 1808-1814 -- including the French invasion of
Spain through brutal attacks on the civilian population, guerrilla
retaliations against Napoleon Bonaparte's armies, and the ravaging
famine in Madrid -- and the enormous impact of these events on the life
of the nation.
Presented in numerical sequence, the 80 etchings in this suite emphasize
Goya's direct response to the horrific brutalities and consequences of
this war, alongside sharply satirical portrayals of political and
religious corruption in its aftermath. The prints are grouped into three
sections: war scenes (plates 2-47), famine scenes (plates 48-64) and the
allegorical caprichos enfáticos ("emphatic caprices,"
plates
65-80).
The captions on the prints, possibly penned by the artist, possess the
quality of wild oratory. As they guide the viewer's attention, they
also create for the series an internal rhythm, connecting some plates in
narrative sequences of mounting narrative horror while allowing others
to stand alone, as startling punctuation.
Although Goya printed several early proofs during his lifetime, the
complete suite of Los Desastres de la Guerra was first
published in
1863, 35 years after his death, by the Royal Academy of San Fernando.
Download the gallery guide for this exhibition.
(Adobe Acrobat file, may take a moment to download)
Also see the related exhibition, Correspondence: In Relation to Goya ~ Joseph Peragine
Visit our other Goya exhibitions:
- Goya's Mastery in Prints: La Tauromaquia
- Goya's Mastery in Prints: Los Disparates
- Goya's Mastery in Prints: Los Caprichos
Visit our Exhibition History page for information on past exhibitions at UAMA.