Blog #4

When researching the history of Francisco Goya's painting "The Third of May 1808", I learned about the historical component of this painting. Goya was trying to commemorate the resistance of the Spanish people to Napoleon’s army during the occupation of 1808. However, in true Michel Foucault fashion, I will analyze this painting and its ‘artistic vocabulary’ without any art-historical investigation. I will not look at “contingent” factors like the artist’s biography, relationship with the patrons, or any social context. I will look strictly at the painting and try to interpret the artist’s narrative.

The painting is an obvious contrast between two distinct groups. The first group to me is an unorganized group of captives held at gunpoint. The other group is of a uniformly and organized firing squad. The captives have sorrow expressions written on their faces. Some are lying on the ground dead while others are crying and showing their mercy. The group on the left is faceless and absent of emotion. They have robotic mannerisms as if they were programmed to kill these captives. It is obvious that Goya is favoring the sorrowful captives on the left. They are shown more as humans since their faces are visible and show emotion. Goya does not favor the firing squad since he painted their backs to the viewer and they are portrayed as robots more than humans.

The central figure in the painting is a man in the center of the group of captives. He is the lightest form in this dark-colored painting. The glowing, white color represents good. It is the only light figure in the dark painting. The viewer is drawn to this man not only because of the lightness of his shirt, but also the leading lines of the firing squad’s guns. The guns are pointing at him in the actual action of the painting, and also point the viewer of the painting to him. This man shows the most action as his arms are flung wide to show his appeal and mercy. Also, his face is depicted with a lot of detail to show his human qualities and his sorrow.

Goya uses ‘artistic vocabulary’ brilliantly to show that his painting constitutes a narrative. No historical context is necessary to explain that he strongly disapproved what was going on during the time of his painting. He is trying to make a statement that this type of war action is not appropriate and is immoral