Men and women form a mound around a post in the streets of a city on the right of this painting. A tattered tricolour flag (of black, yellow, and red) is at the top, and beside this flag, a man stands with a paper in his hand. A man on his horse (on the left of the painting) is among the crowd at the base of the mound, and a dog capers just in front of his steed. The crowd bears swords, pikes, and guns affixed with bayonets. One of the women at the base of the mound cradles a baby, while two women and an old man grieve over a dead youth in their arms. The blue sky is overcast with grey smoke.