The Third of May 1808 is one of the most famous paintings by Francisco de Goya. In this painting, the painter represents the struggle of the Spanish people during the French occupation and the executions of civilians perpetrated by the Napoleonic armies in response to the uprisings occurred the 2nd May 1803. The ideology of the French Revolution has clearly influenced the depiction of events by de Goya.
In the first place, the protagonist of this artwork is not the heroic military armies or an epic hero, as it was in every depiction of war until then. Instead, the protagonist is the unknown and anonymous masses of commoners, the civilian collective. The third estate, commoners, entered in History as a political actor with the French revolution, here as well they have the central role in the image.
Second, for the first time art focuses on the horror of war. This is a major change in artistic style and a result of the Humanist movement, which took relevance from the French revolution. This ideology stresses the importance and value of common people and sees in the people of low stratum the real protagonist of social events and social change, and according to this view, they are also the main victims of war. All these ideas are present in the picture of The Third of May 1808.
