Art and War

Everyday the news covers the Iraq War currently ensuing. We see striking images of soldiers being heroes or innocent civilians crying. But art in times of war has always been an intriguing topic. In Spanish class we learned about Francisco Goya, a Spanish painter who lived during the Peninsular War (1808-1814). His art changed dramatically. Below is probably his most famous image Los Fusilamentos del 3 de mayo en Madrid (The Shootings of May 3rd).



Goya also made a series of 80 prints in the 1810s. They were not published until 1896, 35 years after his death because of the gruesomeness of the pictures. Los Desastres de la Guerra (The Disasters of the War).

When photography was first introduced, it was used to document the Civil War. Since early cameras had several hour exposures, dead people were perfect because they didn't move.