The Execution Of The Madrilenos On The Third Of May 1808 Summary

Throughout history, there is always a dynamic with the oppressed, and with the oppressors. The painting, The Execution of the Madrilenos on the Third of May 1808, by Francisco Goya, portrays a scene and a story very similar to what is happening currently, in regards to images of protests for the Black Lives Matter movement. These images share a message of the cruelty and unfairness in humans. The need to dominate over a group, and establish their power over those who disagree with them, those who they deem as lesser, by force rather than by respect, using fear as a way to make the masses compliant.

Goya’s, The Execution of the madrilenos on the Third of May 1808, was created at a time of unrest in Spain. Napoleon Bonaparte was on the throne in France when he took over Spain and appointed his brother as King. The Spanish people did not like this resulting in the Spaniards uprising against the French occupation. In retaliation to the riot against him, Napoleon and his army took a group of innocent people outside of the city, lined them up, and shot them. He wanted to demonstrate his strength and power and make sure no one would go against them by instilling fear into the people.

This painting shows a man in white with his arms up. As you look around you see gunman pointing their guns at him, and dead bodies on the floor

The men waiting to get shot in Goya’s painting beside the man in white, parallel the men in the black community waiting to see if they are the next one to be shot in our society. Both images have one very powerful visual aspect that unites them and their message. You can only see the victim’s faces. The army and police holding the guns have their backs to the viewer making them look unhuman, almost machine-like, in their