“The Third of May 1808”
“The Third of May 1808” is an oil on canvas painting from 1814 by the Spanish Romantic artist, Francisco Goya. It is sometimes referred to as “The Executions”. This may be Goya’s most famous painting and is considered by many to be one of the first pieces of modern art.
Both this painting and its companion piece, “The Second of May 1808”, were commissioned by the provisional government of Spain. They wanted to honor the Spanish resistance against Napoleon and the French during the Peninsular War of 1807 to 1814.
This painting depicts a horrible day in Spanish history. A French firing squad is aiming at their Spanish captives who are bathed in the light of a lantern just outside of Madrid. The captors are being executed for their uprising against the French after news spread that the Spanish royal family was going to be removed and sent to France. Hundreds of Spanish were killed that day by the French.
The high emotions that Goya rendered with his brush and the bluntness of the horrors of war made this piece extremely unique during its time, as the usual way of depicting wars were through large scale, romanticized history paintings. This painting inspired Édouard Manet’s piece, “The Execution of Emperor Maximilian”.
Goya remained the court painter during the French Occupation of the Peninsular War and some people questioned his allegiance. It is believed that through painting these pieces after the French were removed, Goya reaffirmed his loyalty to Spain.
“The Third of May 1808”, or “The Executions“, is currently on display at the Museo Nacional del Prado in Madrid, Spain.
For more on Francisco Goya, please visit his short biography here.
You can find more artists to learn about here.
