The Third of May 1808

The Third of May 1808 is a painting done in 1814 by Francisco Goya. It was painted to commemorate Spanish resistance to the French invasion during the Napoleonic era. It depicts a rigidly posed firing squad and a group of captives held at gunpoint. Light falls on a group of victims, whose numbers include a monk in prayer. The central figure is brightly lit and wearing a white shirt, standing like Jesus on the Cross. The painting is housed at the Prado Museum in Madrid. It is an example of Romanticism. The painting is one of the most iconic of all time.