The Horrors of War: They Do Not Agree

Goya employed etching and aquatint to achieve deep tonal contrasts and atmospheric texture. The dark, smoky background swallows detail, isolating the violent foreground. Loose, expressive lines convey motion and panic, while the absence of clear light sources enhances the sense of disorder. This technique aligns with his late style—raw, unidealized, and emotionally charged.

The print was produced during Goya’s post-war period, following his service as court painter and his disillusionment with political violence. It was included in his series 'The Disasters of War,' unpublished until decades after his death. The Cleveland Museum of Art acquired it as part of a broader collection of Goya’s graphic works in the 20th century.

Created after the Napoleonic occupation of Spain and the brutal guerrilla warfare that followed, the work reflects Goya’s firsthand witnessing of civilian suffering. Unlike earlier heroic war imagery, this piece rejects glorification, instead portraying chaos and moral collapse. It aligns with emerging Romantic sensibilities that prioritized emotional truth over classical order.

Goya’s unflinching depiction of war’s brutality influenced later artists confronting conflict, from Otto Dix to Francis Bacon. The print’s rejection of heroism and embrace of psychological realism marked a turning point in visual culture. Its enduring power lies in its refusal to offer resolution, leaving viewers to confront the persistence of violence.