Plate 16 from ‘The Disasters of War’ (Los Desastres de la Guerra):’ They make use of them.’ (Se aprovechan.)

Description

Pale bodies lie across the ground at the base of a large tree while clothed men crouch and lean over them, removing belongings. In They Make Use of Them, the title gives these acts a stark practical tone. Goya makes the aftermath of violence another setting in which human vulnerability becomes an opportunity for others.

Goya’s etching and drypoint make the subject part of an accumulating record of particular experiences. The work’s force lies in the distance between the title’s ordinary phrase and the human circumstances to which it is applied. Rather than offering a complete explanation, the image keeps that troubling relationship open, inviting attention to how power can extend itself through the weakness of others.