The Same (Lo mismo) - Francisco Goya

A powerful etching from Francisco Goya's The Disasters of War series, depicting the brutal reality of hand-to-hand combat.

This print is plate 36 from Francisco Goya's series, The Disasters of War (Los Desastres de la Guerra). Created between 1810 and 1820, the series documents the atrocities committed during the Peninsular War between Spain and Napoleonic France. The title, The Same (Lo mismo), refers to the repetitive, cyclical nature of the violence depicted. The composition shows a chaotic scene of hand-to-hand combat. A central figure stands over a fallen soldier, raising an axe to strike. The scene is stripped of any heroic narrative, focusing instead on the raw, visceral reality of conflict. Goya uses sharp, biting lines and deep shadows to convey the brutality of the moment. The figures are rendered with a sense of urgency, their forms distorted by the violence of their actions. Unlike traditional war art that glorified military leaders or strategic victories, Goya presents the perspective of the victim and the common soldier. The lack of a clear background or setting forces the viewer to focus entirely on the struggle itself. The technique combines etching with drypoint and burnishing, allowing for a range of tones that heighten the grim atmosphere. This work demonstrates Goya's ability to capture the psychological weight of human suffering through minimal, yet expressive, mark-making. It remains a stark observation of the senselessness inherent in warfare, stripped of any romanticised notions of glory or honour.