The Disasters of War and Los Caprichos, two of Goya’s most important series of prints, are the subject of a memorable exhibition. A record and a condemnation of the the Peninsular War (1808-1814) and the famine that followed during the second reign of Ferdinand VII at the end of the 18th century, these outstanding works, deal in very direct fashion with war, violence, injustice, and human folly. Goya’s creativity is nowhere more evident than in these images that move between dream and reality, reason and emotion.
As an artist of the Enlightenment, Goya takes a stand on the social and political issues of his day. He begins to work on what will become the The Disasters of War in 1810. The series comprising a little over 80 prints deals with the major events of the invasion of Spain by the French. First published in 1863, it is a portrayal of merciless human cruelty. In a similar critical vein, Los Caprichos published in 1799, is a study of human behaviour.
Organized by the National Gallery of Canada
Biography —
Francisco Goya
Francisco Goya y Lucientes (Spain, 1746 – France, 1828) is one of the greatest artists of his day. In 1786 he occupies the position of painter to the king of Spain. Though a court painter, he breaks with the prevailing artistic conventions by adopting an unprecedented pictorial treatment of his subjects. The richness and variety of Goya’s works, his remarkable versatility as an artist make him a symbol of modern Spain.