Museum-grade recreation · archival canvas · hand-finished · deep-zoom on request
Available to commission
The Third of May 1808
Francisco de Goya · 1746–1828Goya confronts the viewer with the execution of Madrid's citizens by Napoleon's soldiers, a lantern throwing harsh light on a man flinging his arms wide before the rifles. It stands as one of the first truly modern images of the horror of war.
Did you know
The central figure's outstretched pose and marked hands deliberately echo the crucifixion of Christ.
The Story
The Third of May 1808 in Madrid and also known, in Spanish, as El tres de mayo de 1808 en Madrid or Los fusilamientos de la montaña del Príncipe Pío, or Los fusilamientos del tres de mayo, is a painting completed in 1814 by the Spanish painter Francisco Goya.
In the work, Goya sought to commemorate Spanish resistance to Napoleon's armies during the occupation of Madrid in 1808 at the start of the Peninsular War.
Along with its companion piece of the same size, The Second of May 1808, it was commissioned by the provisional government of Spain at Goya's own suggestion shortly after the ousting of the French occupation and the restoration of King Ferdinand VII.
The Full Story
Full analysis
Goya painted this in 1814, commemorating the Spanish reprisal killings following the Dos de Mayo uprising against Napoleon's occupation, petitioning the restored government to 'perpetuate the most heroic actions of our glorious insurrection.' An anonymous, faceless line of French soldiers on the right confronts a huddle of terrified Spanish victims on the left; a central victim in white and yellow spreads his arms in a pose compared to a crucifixion, but robbed of any spiritual transcendence — a deliberate break from earlier martyrdom convention. The perspective is intentionally flattened, the brushwork loose and matte. Kenneth Clark called it 'the first great picture which can be called revolutionary in every sense,' its influence running directly through Manet's Execution of Emperor Maximilian and Picasso's Guernica.
Technique & materials
Oil on canvas, 268 x 347 cm. A restricted palette of somber earth tones and black is animated by sharp white and red accents. A single lantern creates harsh, theatrical illumination with sharp value contrasts.
Provenance
Painted 1814 with the Regency government's approval; King Ferdinand VII showed little enthusiasm, and it remained largely in royal storage for decades. Confirmed in an 1834 Prado inventory, formally catalogued in Prado records only in 1872. Damaged during the Spanish Civil War evacuation to Valencia; conserved in 2008 for the uprising's bicentennial.
Conservation history
Damaged in a WWII-era Civil War transport accident alongside its companion, The Second of May 1808. Both underwent conservation in 2008. In 2009 the Prado selected it for an ultra-high-resolution digitization project with Google Earth.
In dialogue with
The Heirloom
Each recreation is a strictly limited edition of twenty-five, hand-finished on archival canvas and issued with a signed Certificate of Authenticity carrying its own unique Heirloom №.
Explore the world of this masterwork
Before you commission
Is this the original The Third of May 1808?+
No — this is a museum-grade, entirely hand-finished recreation of The Third of May 1808 by Francisco de Goya, faithful to the original in scale, palette and brushwork. The original remains in a public collection; yours is made, by private commission, to hang on your own walls.
How is each piece made?+
Every commission is hand-finished on archival canvas, framed to order, and issued with a signed Certificate of Authenticity carrying a unique Heirloom №. Materials, size and finish are chosen with you during a private viewing.
How long does a commission take?+
Typically 30–45 days from confirmation. We take a 50% advance to begin the work, with the balance due on completion, followed by white-glove delivery.
What does The Third of May 1808 cost?+
Commissions for this masterwork begin from ₹50,000. Final pricing depends on the size and finish you choose, confirmed during your private viewing.
Kindred masterworks
Continue the viewing.
Own The Third of May 1808, recreated to museum grade. ArtzFolio ∞ Infinity reproduces The Third of May 1808, painted 1814 by Francisco de Goya, on hand-primed archival canvas, finished by the hand of our atelier and numbered as a strictly limited Heirloom edition (Heirloom № 7669). Available in your chosen dimensions, frame and finish, from ₹50,000, delivered across India with white-glove care. The central figure's outstretched pose and marked hands deliberately echo the crucifixion of Christ.
See more from Francisco de Goya and the world of Romanticism, or search the Infinity Archive for every related masterpiece. Ready to begin? Request a private viewing and reserve your Heirloom № in your name.
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