Disasters of War, Complete Set of 80, First Edition
Francisco Goya (1746-1828), The Disasters of War, etchings and aquatint.
Made in the Workshop of Laurenciano Potenciano for the Real Academia; published in 1863. On heavy, absorbent wove paper, many sheets with the watermark JGO and a palmette. Reference: Harris 121-200, First Edition 1b, with letters as corrected, 247 x 340 mm, 9 1/2 x 13 1/4 inches, images approximately 5 1/2 x 8.
An extremely fine complete set in superb condition, with the dated title page and biographical introduction on paper with the El Arte en Espana watermark; in a gilt-lettered box, the binding threads carefully removed.
The sets of the First Edition varied in quality (the edition was limited to about 500); this is one of the finest sets we have encountered. Seven editions were made in all.
The images of war and famine in Goya’s Los Desastres de la Guerra are timeless in their depictions of man’s inhumanity to man.
