8. Francesco De Goya – The Disasters Of War 1820
Created between 1810 and 1820 by the Spanish painter and printmaker, Goya didn’t make known his intention when creating the plates, art historians view them as a visual protest against the violence of the Peninsular War of 1808–14. During the conflicts between Napoleon’s French Empire and Spain, the artist retained his position as first court painter to the Spanish crown and continued to produce portraits of the Spanish and French rulers. Although deeply affected by the war, he kept private his thoughts on the art he produced in response to the conflict and its aftermath. Goya’s was in poor health and almost deaf when, at 62, he began work on the prints, which were not published until 1863, 35 years after his death.