Francisco de Goyas Painting, The Third of May Essay -- Art Painting P

Francisco de Goyas Painting, The Third of May Goyas word picture has historical significance, as well as a social message that he wanted to send to generations to come. The painting The Third of May, by Francisco de Goya, was done in 1814 to commemorate the events of that took place during the Napoleonic Wars in Madrid, Spain on May 2 and 3 1808. The painting sets the depiction of a man about to be killed by a firing squad. The bodies of those who have already been killed are scattered around him, and those that wait to be killed stand in line behind him. The ground is covered in blood from those who have already been executed. The sky in the background is black, with the epitome of a convent on the horizon. Through my religious upbringing, as well as my background in art history, I am adequate to(p) to agnise the symbolism and tools that Goya used to make his statement that war of any kindly produces no good. During the Napoleonic Wars, which took place in the early part of t he 19th century, Spain was invaded in 1807. Napoleon forced King Ferdinand to abdicate the throne, which he gave to his crony Joseph Bonaparte. Many Spanish citizens welcomed the presence of the French in Spain because of the liberal reforms that they made, including a new liberal constitution. But with the rumor that the last member of the kingly family was going to be removed from Madrid, the citizens of Madrid gathered in domain squares on the night of May 2. At nine oclock on the morning of the third, an uprising began. The citizens were armed with whatever they could find scissors, knives, spoons, and a few firearms. The close up temporarily prevented the cart with the remaining members of the royal family from leaving. By mid-afternoon the revolt was... ...m able to recognize them as certain tools used by the painter. It is very mathematical that if I had not been raised with a religious background or had not taken my art history class, my perspective towards the paint ing would be very different. I ability look at the painting and alone see a man about to be killed. I might not see the sacrificial element of it. My understanding of art and the manner of speaking of art would be lacking. Without the knowledge of these things I would probably see a more general picture, and I might have missed the aspects of Goyas chef-doeuvre that make the painting so moving to me.Works CitedTone, John Lawrence. The dim Knot The Guerilla War in Navarre and the Defeat of Napoleon in Spain. Chapel Hill The University of North Carolina Press. 1994.Stokstad, Marilyn. Art History. New York Prentice mansion house Inc. and Harry N. Abrams Inc. 1995.