Malta Hosts First Complete Exhibition Of Goya’s War Etchings
Heritage Malta is bringing the haunting power of Francisco Goya to Malta with an exhibition of his seminal print series, “Disasters of War”, on display at the Grand Master’s Palace in Valletta.
The exhibition offers a rare opportunity to experience the full intensity of Goya’s vision, and yes, it’s as gripping as it sounds.
Composed of 80 etchings created between 1810 and 1815, “Disasters of War” captures the brutal reality of the Peninsular War (1808–1814) between France and Spain.
Far from glorifying combat, Goya focuses on the chaos, starvation, and human suffering that war brings. Some of these harrowing scenes may even be drawn from events he witnessed firsthand, though the specific locations remain a mystery.
The series is structured in three parts: the first 47 etchings show the war’s impact on soldiers and civilians; the next section documents the devastating famine that struck Madrid in 1811–12; and the final 17 prints adopt a more allegorical tone, reflecting the disillusionment of progressives as the restored Bourbon monarchy rejected social reforms.
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With “Disasters of War”, Goya boldly broke with artistic convention. Rather than portraying battles as heroic spectacles, he depicted their true tragedy and barbarism- an approach that resonates across centuries and borders, making the exhibition startlingly relevant today.
Heritage Malta Chairman Mario Cutajar describes Goya as “an artist of contrasts- a master of royal portraits and a fearless chronicler of human suffering. His works are alarms that never rang; humanity remains blind and deaf to suffering.”
The exhibition runs until 18th January 2026, offering visitors a chance to explore Goya’s genius, confront the harsh realities of war, and experience art that still speaks across time and space.
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Credit: Heritage Malta
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