Goya’s painting, El Tres De Mayo, depicts random executions of Spanish citizens resulting from fighting that broke out in the Puerto del Sol area of Madrid between the Spanish and the French occupiers. Soon thereafter a national uprising spread across Spain and El Tres De Mayo became one of the main symbols of the rebels as they fought to drive out the French.
The elements of light vs. dark are fairly obvious in the technique of the painting. The French are painted in dark blues, grays and blacks, emphasizing their oppressiveness, while the Spanish citizen, facing his death, arms spread wide in defiance, is painted in bright whites and yellows, creating a feeling of hope and peace emanating from the central figure of the painting. Also an insight into the overall feel of Spain at the time can be deduced by the dark colors of the background. Showing that throughout Spain darkness was dominant under the brutality of the French occupation.