The second of may 1808 or The charge of the mamelukes
Technical details
Author:
Francisco de Goya y Lucientes
Title:
The second of may 1808 or The charge of the mamelukes
Timeline:
1814
Technique:
Oil on paper glued to board
Description
This is a preparatory study for the great canvas that Goya painted between March and April 1814, which is in the Prado Museum in Madrid. It depicts the violent reaction of the people of Madrid to the city's occupation by French troops by attacking the Mamelukes, Egyptian mercenary soldiers in the service of Napoleon. The people attack them with knives and sharp objects, and try to unhorse and kill them. The fighting in the streets of Madrid was terrible because of the violence used. The figures were portrayed using fast, precise and expressive brushstrokes. Goya echoed in the scene the drama and tension of the events in a fully Romantic style.
Location in the museum
You may find this artwork on Floor 2 Goya Hall