Plate 22 from ‘The Disasters of War’ (Los Desastres de la Guerra): ‘Even worse.’ (Tanto y mas.)

Description

Bodies stretch across the ground in Even Worse, turning a spare comparative title into another encounter with the aftermath of violence. Goya places this scene beside what has already been witnessed, extending attention toward further harm. The grounded figures make that accumulation human and tangible rather than leaving it as a statement about distant events.

Etching and burin give the printed image a firmly worked surface suited to close examination. Goya’s treatment keeps the encounter particular even as the title connects it to the series around it. The image’s force lies in that uneasy relationship between one event and further events, asking the viewer to remain attentive when repetition might otherwise dull the ability to respond.