Which Romantic painter created 'The Third of May 1808'?

Francisco Goya created The Third of May 1808. He completed the painting in 1814, portraying the executions of Spanish civilians by French troops after Madrid’s uprising against Napoleon’s occupation.

The work was conceived alongside its companion, The Second of May 1808, which depicts the fighting during the uprising itself. Goya proposed commemorating the “most notable and heroic actions” of Spain’s resistance after French forces were expelled. The finished canvas focuses not on military glory but on fear, vulnerability, and the human cost of reprisal.

Its composition is especially memorable: a lantern illuminates the condemned group, including a central figure with raised arms, while the faceless firing squad forms a dark, rigid wall opposite them. The painting is often described as a landmark of modern art and a defining Romantic image. It is sometimes confused with The Second of May 1808, but both works were painted by Goya and are now held by Madrid’s Museo del Prado.