Will She Rise Again?, plate 80 from The Disasters of War Possibly 1815 - 1863

Francisco de Goya made this print, "Will She Rise Again?" as part of his series *The Disasters of War*. It's an etching, a printmaking process where lines are incised into a metal plate with acid, then inked and pressed onto paper. Look closely, and you can see how the acid has bitten into the metal, leaving a rough, textured surface that gives the image its stark, almost brutal quality. The harsh light and shadow are a direct result of this process, emphasizing the horror of the scene. Printmaking allowed Goya to disseminate his critique of the Peninsular War widely, and relatively cheaply. This was a deliberate act, intended to galvanize public opinion. The lines he created speak of labor, politics, and consumption, and the process gives the work its social significance. Considering Goya's work in terms of its materiality and making helps us to understand not only its aesthetic impact, but also its powerful social and political message. This challenges the traditional idea that printmaking is somehow separate from "high art."