Artist: Francisco Goya
Year: 1814
This is a reproduction print of the famous historical painting “The Second of May 1808 in Madrid” (El dos de mayo de 1808 en Madrid), also known as “The Charge of the Mamelukes”, created by Francisco Goya in 1814. One of the most celebrated works of Spanish historical painting, the artwork depicts the uprising of the people of Madrid against Napoleon's occupying forces on 2 May 1808, an event that helped ignite the Peninsular War and Spain's struggle against French domination. The original painting is housed at the Museo del Prado in Madrid, Spain.
The dramatic composition portrays Spanish civilians attacking mounted Mamluk cavalrymen serving in the French imperial forces during the violent clashes in Madrid's streets. Armed with knives and improvised weapons, the insurgents struggle against the cavalry at close quarters, while horses rear and soldiers fall amid the chaos. Rather than focusing on military commanders or heroic leaders, Goya places ordinary people and the brutality of urban combat at the center of the scene.
The painting is particularly remarkable for its explosive movement, vivid colors, expressive figures and unflinching depiction of violence. The crowded composition conveys the confusion and desperation of the uprising, with combatants locked together in a struggle for survival. Goya avoids presenting the battle as a conventional heroic triumph, instead emphasizing the suffering, fear and savagery of war, themes that also appear throughout his celebrated series The Disasters of War.
Painted in oil on canvas, the original artwork measures approximately 268 × 347 cm. Completed in 1814 after the end of French occupation, it forms a historical pair with Goya's equally famous “The Third of May 1808”, which depicts the execution of Spanish insurgents by French troops. Together, these paintings rank among the most influential representations of the Napoleonic Wars, Spanish resistance and the human consequences of military conflict.
