About this artwork
In Francisco de Goya’s series The Disasters of War, 10 of the 80 etchings are devoted to piles of dead bodies, aggressively cementing this subject’s narrative importance. Goya seems to have been engrossed in the artistic possibilities that these groupings allowed. The bodies are portrayed in varied compositions and techniques—some with aquatint, some with traditional etching. Some only depict the dead (alternately naked or clothed), and others, like This Is What You Were Born For, mingle the dead and barely alive.
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Status
- Currently Off View
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Department
- Prints and Drawings
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Artist
- Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes
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Title
- This is What You Were Born For, plate twelve from The Disasters of War
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Origin
- Spain
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Date
- 1810–1812
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Medium
- Etching, lavis, drypoint and burin on ivory wove paper with gilt edges
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Dimensions
- 126 × 191 mm (image); 159 × 235 mm (plate); 240 × 340 mm (sheet)
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Credit Line
- Gift of J. C. Cebrian
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Reference Number
- 1920.1317
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IIIF Manifest
- https://api.artic.edu/api/v1/artworks/124855/manifest.json
Extended information about this artwork
Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.
