Wilkie was the first British artist to travel to Spain in the post-Napoleonic era. This is the first of his series of four paintings depicting episodes from the Spanish War of Independence (1808-14). It shows a revolutionary council taking place in a remote mountain inn (‘posada’). Amongst the assembled plotters is a dwarf playing a guitar, intended as a tribute to Velázquez, whose work was much admired by Wilkie. Purchased by George IV in 1829