Who painted The Horrors of War: It's No Use Crying Out?

The Horrors of War: It's No Use Crying Out was painted by Francisco Goya in 1815.

Where can I see The Horrors of War: It's No Use Crying Out?

The Horrors of War: It's No Use Crying Out is held by Cleveland Museum of Art.

What movement is The Horrors of War: It's No Use Crying Out?

The Horrors of War: It's No Use Crying Out is associated with Romanticism.

Artwork

The Horrors of War: It's No Use Crying Out

Francisco Goya , 1815

The Horrors of War: It's No Use Crying Out is a print by the Romanticist artist Francisco Goya. It dates from 1815 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

About this work

Overview

Created around 1815, this print by Francisco de Goya, titled *The Horrors of War: It’s No Use Crying Out*, belongs to the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. It belongs to the tradition of history painting, depicting a violent episode in a stark, graphic manner.

Subject & Meaning

The composition presents a chaotic battlefield: a soldier in a white shirt looms over a cluster of fallen figures, some clearly dead, others wounded. A woman in a headscarf averts her gaze, while another figure clutches a child, emphasizing the civilian toll of conflict. The title underscores the sense of powerlessness experienced by the victims.

Technique & Style

Executed with simple, decisive lines and subtle shading, the print conveys the scene’s brutality without elaborate detail. The limited tonal range and stark contrasts heighten the emotional impact, aligning the work with the Romantic emphasis on raw feeling and the stark realities of war.

History & Provenance

Goya produced this work in the aftermath of the Peninsular War, a period that inspired many of his anti-war images. The piece entered the Cleveland Museum of Art’s holdings through acquisition in the 20th century, where it remains on view as part of the museum’s European print collection.