My (humble) ART Collection (Selected)
"Esto es Malo" (This is Bad), etching, Plate 46 of 'The Disasters of War' Series by Francisco de Goya (Spanish) 1746-1828, drawn on copperplate 1812-1815, first printed posthumously in 1863. This etching was in the 4th Espana edition printed in 1906.
Haunting, brutal, macabre, and poignant, the series of 82 etchings by Goya is a powerful reminder of the inhumane consequences of warfare.
The imagery Goya created for this 19th-century series is not pleasant, but this is by design. Instead of heroic depictions of battles, Goya sought to convey the tragic results of violent conflict through his harsh, realistic etchings.
In his own words, Goya was led by the following, “I have three masters: Nature, Velázquez, and Rembrandt.”
This series went on to inspire other artists like Manet, Courbet, Dali, Pablo Picasso and the novel “For Whom the Bell Tolls” by Ernest Hemingway. Despite its age, “The Disasters of War” remains one of the boldest anti-war statements ever made, reminding all of us that war can bring out the worst in humanity.