The Third of May 1808 by Francisco Goya
In the early 19th century, France under the rule of Napoleon Bonaparte (Emperor Napoleon I) was conquering land to expand and colonise. One of these places was Spain on the Iberian Peninsula. This caused was called the Peninsular War to break out where Spain, Portugal and the United Kingdom fought against the First French Empire which was also part of the wider conflict within the Napoleonic Wars. This war (the Peninsular War) lasted from 1807 until 1814 which saw the collapse of the First French Empire and Spain and Portugal reclaiming their land saw this event happen:
On 2 May 1808, hundreds of Spaniards staged a rebellion against the French occupiers but these Spanish freedom fighters were rounded up the French the next day and killed on 3 May 1808. A witness to the destruction and bloodshed first hand, painter Francisco Goya witness this attempted rebellion and it left a profound impression on him. Despite having shown French sympathies in his previous paintings, the massacre changed his views drastically and this painting captures the heavy emotions and the tragedy of that faithful day in May 1808.
He was so committed to giving the people justice through a simple painting that he depicted the central figure who was a martyr in a Christlike pose, complete with that martyr revealing stigmata wounds on his palms (like the wounds on Christ’s hands after being nailed to the cross). This symbolises the patriotism and resilience the Spanish people had in the face of French oppression.
Goya’s The Third of May 1808 in Madrid is considered by many to be one of the first modern era paintings since it breaks away from traditional depictions of war and Christian art. The way de Goya captured the emotional force and revolutionary style of the painting make it a ground breaking work right down to inspiring impressionist painter Edouard Manet and fellow Spanish painter of the Cubist era Pablo Picasso.
The painting was parodied in the couch gag for the ninth episode of the twenty-eighth season of the Simpsons “The Last Traction Hero”. The Third of May 1808 by Francisco Goya currently resides in the Museo del Prado in Madrid, Spain.