Final answer:
Francisco de Goya was the artist sent to Saragossa to record the citizens' valor against French cruelties. His profound works 'The Second of May, 1808' and 'The Third of May, 1808' are powerful depictions of the horrors of the Peninsular War and have influenced later generations of artists.
Step-by-step explanation:
The artist sent to Saragossa to record the glories of its citizens in the face of French atrocities was Francisco de Goya. Goya, renowned for his poignant works that often commentated on the political turmoil and wars of his time, produced some of his most significant paintings following the events of the Peninsular War. Despite his early career painting lighthearted themes and serving as a court painter, Goya's later works became darker after a severe illness left him deaf, which may have been caused by lead poisoning from the lead carbonate used in white paint at the time.Goya's masterpieces The Second of May, 1808, and The Third of May, 1808, both created in 1814, are vivid depictions of the brutality of the Peninsular War, particularly focusing on the uprising and subsequent massacre in Madrid as a result of French occupation. These paintings stand as powerful symbols against the cruelties of war and have been influential to the artistic world, inspiring later painters like Manet and Picasso. The Third of May, 1808, with its emotional intensity and stark portrayals of violence, is often hailed as one of the earlier precedents of modern painting and remains a significant anti-war statement.