Fusilamiento 

Esteban Frances painted this unsettling image, Fusilamiento, using oil on canvas sometime in the mid-20th century. The scene is dominated by stark contrasts: a blinding white dove looms over a group of figures, juxtaposed against a dark sky punctured by a blood-red sun. The painting's composition is structured around oppositions. The dove, a symbol of peace, is rendered as an imposing, almost menacing presence. Its brightness clashes with the shadowy figures below, who seem caught between supplication and despair. This contrast challenges conventional semiotics, where the dove would typically signify hope and reconciliation. Frances employs a restricted palette to amplify the emotional impact. The intense red of the sun might function as a signifier of violence, a counterpoint to the dove's expected symbolism. The artist destabilizes fixed meanings, prompting us to consider the complex relationship between idealism and brutality. Ultimately, the painting functions as a powerful reflection on the human condition and the precariousness of peace.