Disasters of War: Pl., 3, The Same (Thing)

Goya used etching and aquatint to achieve stark tonal contrasts and a rough, immediate texture. The loose, almost hurried lines convey urgency, while the absence of detail forces focus on movement and tension. Shadows dominate, obscuring identity and amplifying the anonymity of violence. This sketch-like quality reflects Goya’s shift from polished commissions to raw, personal expression.

The plate was produced between 1810 and 1820, though the series remained unpublished during Goya’s lifetime due to its politically sensitive content. The original plates were preserved by his family and later acquired by institutions. This impression entered the Cleveland Museum of Art’s collection in the 20th century, contributing to broader recognition of Goya’s graphic work as a critical response to war.

Created during and after the Napoleonic occupation of Spain, the series emerged from Goya’s firsthand exposure to wartime atrocities. Unlike official histories, these prints reject nationalism and spectacle, offering instead a visceral record of civilian and soldier alike caught in destruction. The work aligns with emerging Romantic sensibilities but diverges in its unflinching realism and moral ambiguity.

The Disasters of War series profoundly influenced later artists confronting violence in modern conflict, from Otto Dix to Francis Bacon. Goya’s rejection of idealized war imagery established a precedent for documentary art rooted in suffering rather than glory. The rawness of this plate, in particular, remains a touchstone for representations of chaos in 19th- and 20th-century visual culture.