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1810-1814, published 1863

Bury Them and Keep Quiet (Enterrar y Callar)

Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes

Spanish, 1746 - 1828

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Mass casualties along with the rampant spread of disease led to difficulties in disposing of dead bodies during the French occupation of Spain. Here a man and woman stand in for viewers as witnesses to the devastation, covering their noses against the stench of a field of naked and decaying corpses. This visceral reaction exemplifies the multisensory experience of war Goya conveys in Los Desastres. The nude bodies cannot be identified as either Spanish or French, underscoring the universality of loss in war.

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