And there is nothing to be done

• Who is the artist?

  Fransisco Goya
• When was it located?

  1810 (Pre 1850)
• What is the style?

  Romanticism
• What is the form?

  Etching
• What is the purpose of the piece?

  French Army (lead by Napoleon Bonaparte) invaded Spain, continuing the Napoleonic wars during the 19th century.

  
  

  Plate 15 = depicts Spanish people as innocent, helpless vulnerable. In contrast represent the French army as unhuman, mechanical and powerful.

  
  

  He did not want to glorify war but instead show that war is an act of aggression, revolutionising how artists present warfare due to his success in expressing the realism of war and ultimately going against societal pressures in the world of traditional art
• What is the name of the series that this piece is apart of?

  Part of a series of 82 – “The Disasters of War”
• What is the enlightenment and how does the enlightenment relate to Goya?

  Goya = a Spanish artist himself, but was also an enthusiast for the enlightenment (intellectual movement that emphasised reason and science).
• Give the critical text

  “One cannot bear to look at” (Kenneth Clark)
• Give a composition point about the piece's asymmetry 


  Point: Asymmetrical composition

  Reasoning: More ppts and object on RHS

  Effect: Creates a sense of unease and tension

  
• Give a composition point about the open composition

  Point: Open composition

  Reasoning: Background and raised guns on far RHS cropped, as they appear to continue past the edge of the etching.

  Effect: Intended for the viewer to predominantly focus on the participants shown by decreasing the negative space.

  
• Give a composition point about the link between the cropped guns and the focal point

  Point: Cropped guns in the foreground RHS help to guide the viewer's attention to the focal point

  Reasoning: Diagonal emphasis created, which contrasts to the verticality within the piece e.g. the wooden pole positioned near the central axis in the immediate FG.

  
• Give a composition point regarding the positioning and religious iconography of the focal point 


  Point: positioned just off centre tied to a thick wooden pole, upholding a similar religious iconography of Saint Sebastian.

  Point: His helplessness is depicted through head positioned downwards, blindfolded, shoulders tilted downwards to the right of his figure, both hands are tied to restrict his movements.

  Effect: The sombre iconography + specific positioning = successfully evoke pity, representing the focal point as a martyr.

  
• Give a composition point regarding the repetition of ppts 


  Point: Repetition of ppts on wooden poles is shown through diminution of scale as they recede into the far background.

  Effect: sense of depth on flat etching

  
• Give a composition point regarding the positioning of the French Army


  Point: The French army situated in the middle ground on the RHS are all positioned assertively in identical stances.

  Reasoning: Goya wanted to dehumanise them, strongly contrasting with the weakened Spanish.

  
• Give a composition point about the disfigured man

  Point: The disfigured man is positioned at RHS in immediate FG on the floor.

  Effect: Foreshadow the imminent fate of the martyr and the innocent Spaniards behind him.

  
• Give a colour point about the limited palette

  Point: Limited/monochromatic palette of white and black - highlights use of chiaroscuro.

  Effect: Emphasise contrast between light/dark = Spanish/French + heighten pathetic fallacy = ominous/miserable atmosphere
• Give a composition point about the background

  Point: Barren/infertile

  Reasoning: destruction caused by conflict + manipulate attention to ppts represented.
• (Conclusion) Give a MTP point

  Point: Used acid to burn the copper plate = produce even lines throughout.

  Effect: Creates a sense of balance + emphasises detail.

  
  

  Point: Using acid is aggressive in itself + reminiscent of the theme of war.

  
  

  Point: Not expensive = easily reproduce etching to spread message more quickly about realistic horrors of Peninsula war.