Disasters of War: Evocations of Goya 1955

Abidin Dino made this painting called ‘Disasters of War: Evocations of Goya’ with what looks like umber, burnt sienna, and ivory. The figures emerge out of this dark tonal ground, like ghosts. I imagine Dino, brush in hand, wrestling with the weight of Goya’s legacy, trying to find his own voice amidst the echoes of history. Did he feel intimidated? Inspired? Or maybe a little of both? See how the paint is thick and almost muddy in places, especially around the bodies, yet fluid and transparent in the background. Those standing figures, outlined in a ghostly light, make me think about his state of mind. The act of painting itself becomes a way to sift through these emotions and grapple with the complexities of war and its aftermath. It makes me wonder what other artists were looking at as Dino was creating this. It's like they are all in a conversation, responding to each other across time. Painting is such an embodied way to express something. It's messy, and ambiguous, but maybe that’s the point.