This painting depicts a scene after the battle in which Spain reclaimed the city of San Salvador, located in the Todos os Santos Bay in Brazil.
This battle happened 10 years before the painting was created.
Holland had conquered this city, which belonged to the Spanish monarchy.
For this reason, the Spanish King Philip the Fourth and the Prime Minister, the Count-Duke of Olivares, decided to retake the city in this battle.
In the centre of the painting, a woman tends to a person with a chest wound while others watch with concern.
These people are the war wounded.
In the background of the painting, we can see the bay with the ships that participated in the battle.
On the right of the painting is a group of people on their knees looking at a tapestry, a cloth that depicts 3 figures.
These kneeling people were Dutch soldiers who surrendered after the battle.
The Spanish General Don Fadrique de Toledo stands on a carpet, showing the tapestry to the soldiers.
The tapestry portrays the crowning of King Philip the Fourth by the Count-Duke of Olivares and the goddess of war, Minerva.
This painting is unique because it breaks the common rules of paintings depicting victory in a battle.
Victory paintings usually show the battle and the soldiers, but this painting represents the people of the city where the battle occurred.
The painter wanted to highlight the suffering caused by wars and the compassion among people.
