The Second of May 1808 facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Second of May 1808 (The Charge of the Mamelukes) |
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| Artist | Francisco Goya |
| Year | 1814 |
| Medium | Oil on canvas |
| Dimensions | 266 cm × 345 cm (105 in × 136 in) |
| Location | Museo del Prado, Madrid |
The Second of May 1808, also known as The Charge of the Mamelukes, is a famous painting by the Spanish artist Francisco Goya. It shows a dramatic moment during a rebellion in Madrid, Spain, in 1808. This painting is a partner to another famous work by Goya, The Third of May 1808.
Both paintings were finished in 1814. Today, you can see them at the Museo del Prado in Madrid. Goya saw the French army take over Spain in 1808. The French leader, Napoleon, put his brother Joseph in charge of Spain. When the French tried to move members of the Spanish royal family from Madrid, the people rose up. This uprising happened on May 2nd and 3rd, 1808. French forces quickly stopped the rebellion.
The Uprising: May 2nd, 1808
The Second of May 1808 shows the start of the rebellion. French soldiers, called Mamelukes, were ordered to control the angry crowd. The people of Madrid saw the Mamelukes as invaders. Instead of running away, the crowd fought back against the soldiers. This led to a fierce and chaotic fight.
Goya probably did not see this exact fight happen. He painted these artworks in 1814. This was after Napoleon's army had left Spain. The Spanish government asked him to create these paintings. Goya chose to show the ordinary people of Madrid as brave heroes. They used simple weapons like knives to fight a trained army. The king, Ferdinand VII, was not happy with these paintings when he returned. So, they were not shown to the public for many years.
Goya wanted to show the confusion of the event. He did not focus on one single action or person. This helps to show the chaos of the battle.
Damage and Restoration
In 1936, during the Spanish Civil War, Madrid was bombed. The government decided to move the paintings from the Museo del Prado. A truck carrying Goya's paintings had an accident. The Second of May was badly damaged. It had tears and even missing pieces.
The painting was first repaired in 1941. This was when the artworks returned to Madrid. Another restoration was done between 2007 and 2008. This helped to fix the painting even more.
See also
