The Third of May 1808 in Madrid (commonly known as The Third of May 1808), is a painting completed in 1814 by the Spanish painter Francisco Goya, now in the Museo del Prado, Madrid.
The painting is set in the early hours of the morning following an uprising in the Spanish-French war of Napoleon and centers on two masses of men: one a rigidly poised firing squad, the other a disorganized group of captives held at gunpoint.
The brightest illumination falls on the huddled victims to the left, whose numbers include a monk or friar in prayer. To the immediate right and at the center of the canvas, other condemned figures stand next in line to be shot.
On the right side stands the firing squad, engulfed in shadow and painted as a monolithic unit. Seen nearly from behind, their bayonets and their shako headgear form a relentless and immutable column.
This painting is one Goya’s most recognized and iconic works.
A.G. Munson
