Final answer:
The painting's sense of despair is most strongly conveyed through the subjects' body language, particularly the woman crying and holding the child, which communicates intense emotions more directly than other artistic elements.
Step-by-step explanation:
Emotions in art are often conveyed through several elements, which combine to give a painting its emotional depth. Notably, the subjects' body language is a crucial artistic element creating the sense of despair in the painting being described. The woman crying and holding the child, along with the other expressions of agony and pain depicted throughout the painting, directly communicate the intense emotions. Other factors, such as the use of shadows and the colors, also play a role but the body language of the subjects is the most effective in portraying a visceral sense of despair and grief.
Paintings like The Third of May by Francisco de Goya and Despair by Edvard Munch highlight how artists use features like color and positioning to create an emotional narrative. While color and shadows can provide mood and atmosphere, it is ultimately the body language depicted in the crying woman and child that encapsulates the anguish and creates a compelling narrative of despair.