The worst is to beg 1815

Francisco de Goya created this etching, titled 'The Worst is to Beg,' as part of his series 'The Disasters of War'. Created between 1810 and 1820, it is a harrowing depiction of the brutal realities of conflict and its devastating impact on ordinary people. Goya was working during a time of immense political upheaval in Spain, marked by the Napoleonic invasion and subsequent War of Independence. In this print, Goya unflinchingly portrays the abject poverty and desperation that war engenders. The figures, emaciated and ragged, evoke a sense of profound suffering and vulnerability. Their expressions of anguish and despair speak to the dehumanizing effects of war, which strips individuals of their dignity and reduces them to mere beggars. Through this work, Goya offers a searing indictment of war and its consequences, challenging viewers to confront the uncomfortable truths about human nature and the social order. He asks us to reflect on the systemic injustices that perpetuate suffering, and to consider our own complicity in the face of such atrocities.