The Spanish War of Independence began in May 1808.
The Spanish rebelled against the French army of Napoleon and refused to obey him.
In response, the French shot many of the people who participated in the rebellion.
Goya painted the scene of one of the executions from that night.
In the painting, the 2 groups of people face each other.
On the right of the painting stands a group of soldiers.
They are the firing squad dressed in grey capes.
The capes are like a cloak with sleeves.
All the soldiers are in perfect formation for firing.
Goya does not show the faces of the firing soldiers.
Goya wants to show the soldiers as killing machines.
On the left of the painting, Goya depicts the men who are about to die.
Goya paints them with different expressions, but they all look scared.
Some men keep their heads down and accept that they are about to die, while other men cover their faces because they cannot bear this situation.
In the centre of the group of victims, a man in a white shirt raises his arms.
His face expresses horror and pleads for his life.
His gestures, position and expression imitate the crucified Christ.
In front of the man in white, the lantern on the floor illuminates the whole group and intensifies the horror of the situation.
