--- Jacques-Louis David ---

When I was studying The Modern Age in DIM1, the history and works of Jacques-Louis David were very impressive to me. Therefore, today I want to take a brief look at him. I know that this topic is quite boring, but I try to make it more interesting and useful ^.^

Jacques-Louis David (1748-1824) was one of the most greatly significant French artists in the Neoclassical style and a dynamic supporter of the French Revolution. (Neoclassicism is the name given to a 20^th century style of work in visual art, music, architecture, theatre and literature that is inspired by artistic antique elements.) When he was 9 years old, his mother left him after his father had been killed in a duel. Then he was brought up by his uncles and registered the Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture at 17. Until 1770, his works were influenced by Boucher who was his distant relative and a Rococo painter either. However, in 1768, David began to study with the Neoclassicist Joseph Marie Vien. David had tried many times to be awarded an art scholarship to the Academy in Rome, the Prix de Rome. Finally, in 1774, David succeeded. While in Rome, he was studying the works of Caravaggio and other seventeenth-century Italian Baroque painters for five years. He became more deeply interested in the Neoclassical style of Vien, Anton Raphael Mengs, Johann Winckelmann, and Benjamin West.
In 1784, the influence of Neoclassicism on his work was showed via The Oath of the Horatii (Paris, Louvre). This painting emphasized the traditional merits of sacrifice and morality. The strong harmony of the colors, and the sacred severity of the oath saddling on the figrures built a stable structure and and aesthetic of the painting. The themes and patterns were kept going into his later works. See more information

The Oath of the Horatii (Paris, Louvre, 1784)

In 1787, David exhibited his well-known The Death of Socrates. It was painted in Paris with details inspired by classical statues and Roman bas-relief. (Roman bas-relief is a technique of sculpting involving in carving or etching away the stone or metal surface) It used sharp illumination, contrastive shadows and realistic detail to describe the closing moments of the death of Socrates. Sentenced to death because of exhorting scepticism and impiety in his students, Socrates bravely accepted death from hemlock brew.

The Death of Socrates (Paris, 1787)

As I have stated, David was an enthusiast of the French Revolution, voting for the execution of Louis XVI. Considered as portraits, the series of three paintings of the Revolution sacrifice were: The Death of Lepeletier (1973), The Death of Marat (Brussels, 1793), and The Death of Bara (Avignon, unfinished). Le Peletier who voted for the death of the King was murdered by a royal guard. David prepared his funeral, and painted The Death of Lepeletier. It showed Peletier's body was below a gory sword hanging from a thread pushing through a note "I vote the death of the tyrant". However, this painting disappeared mysteriously and now is only known as an engraving. Later, a David's friend, Marat was killed by a young Royalist from an opposite political party, Charlotte Corday . David once again organized a formal funeral for Marat in the Panthéon.

The Death of Marat (Brussels, 1793)

In 1794, while imprisoned, he started to paint Intervention of the Sabine Women (Louvre, 1794-1799) which was painted to show his respect to his wife and also known as a plea for the citizens to reunite after the carnage of The Revolution. Therefore, it was full of love against conflict and was a combination between classical bas-relief and comtemporary models. The most impressive thing is the warriors are all nude. David was obsessed by the idea that Greek gods, athletes and heroes were nude. He didn't want to seek for a physically muscular beauty, but rather to reach a plain heroic one.

Intervention of the Sabine Women (Louvre, 1794-1799)

David had become an passionate admirer of Napoleon from their first meeting. Between 1802 and 1807, a series of paintings was painted, especially Coronation of Napoleon in Notre Dame (Louvre, 1805-1807) to honor the expanding territory of the Emperor. After the fall of Napoleon, David went into exile in Brussels, continuing to be an excellent painter and a great teacher. Actually, some of his beloved students like Gros, Ingres, Gerard and Girodet pursued his style. On December 29, 1824, he was crushed by a wagon when leaving the theater and soon died. David's body was not permitted to bury in France but his heart was buried at Pre Lachaise, Paris.


Coronation of Napoleon in Notre Dame (Louvre, 1805-1807)

Reference: (You can check the information I give you and some of his greatest works from these websites. Have fun!)
Jacques-Louis David, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacques-Louis_David
Jacques-Louis David, 3D-Dali, http://www.3d-dali.com/Artist-Biographies/Jacques-Louis_David.html
Jacques-Louis David, The Artchive, http://artchive.com/artchive/D/david.html
Jacques-Louis David, Web Musem, Paris, http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/auth/david/
The Death of Marat, Boston College, http://www.bc.edu/bc_org/avp/cas/his/CoreArt/art/neocl_dav_marat.html
Jacques-Louis David, Boston College, http://www.bc.edu/bc_org/avp/cas/his/CoreArt/art/neocl_dav.html