The Third of May 1808

What you see

The scene splits in two. On the right, a row of soldiers with their backs to us, in tall hats and with sabres, level their rifles in an almost straight line. Facing them, a group of men waits: one covers his face, another clasps his hands. In their midst, a man in a white shirt flings his arms wide. Lower left, others have already fallen.

A square lantern on the ground is the only light. It falls full on the white shirt and yellow trousers, leaving the soldiers in muted greys. Behind, a hill and the city walls sink into the night. The men’s faces are intensely expressive; of the soldiers, we never see a single face.