He was a very important and influencial French painter in the Neocassical style. His use of color and style actualy paved he way for Rococo art (a quite interesting movememt). He studied at the French Academy in Rome and found many artists that would influence him. During this period two of his paintings were displayed in the Salon of 1781. After the Salon, the King granted David lodging in the Louvre, a much desired privilege of great artists. When the contractor of the King's buildings, M. Pécoul, was arranging with David, he asked the artist to marry his daughter, Marguerite Charlotte. This marriage brought him money and eventually four children.
In 1787 David had wanted to become the director of the French Academy in Rome, ut the count in charge thought he was to young and decided against it, but did say he would help support him for the next several years. But David wanted the position quite strongly and them denying him what he so longed for had long-term effets that caused him to lash out againt the Academy for many years to come.
When the French Revolution cam about he became quite involved. In fact, he was good friends with Maximilien Robespierre (1758-1794). He stayed while many others fleed the country, he voted in the National Convention for the Execution of Louis XVI. It is sort of uncertain why he did this, as there were many more opportunities for him under the King than the new order; some people suggest David's love for the classical made him embrace everything about that period, including a new govenment.
He eventually attacked the Royal Academy of Painting and Scultpure. The initial reason for the attack most likely had everything to do with the Academy's opposition to his work previously and he seeked to reform it. It was full of royalists and they judged people based on their status instead of their work, a huge flaw. David then began work on something that would later hound him: propaganda for the new republic. David’s painting of Brutus was shown during the play Brutus, by the famous Frenchman, Voltaire. It was recieved very well.
Most of his work throughout the revolution was conidered propaganda and was
truly inspired, especially what is now one of his most famous pieces; The Death of Marat (1793).
truly inspired, especially what is now one of his most famous pieces; The Death of Marat (1793).Jean-Paul Marat, a friend of David's, was a swiss physician, a radical journalist and politician for the French Revolution. Charlotte Corday, appeared at his flat, claiming to have vital information on the activities of the escaped Girondins who had fled to Normandy. Despite Simonne's protests, Marat asked for her to enter and gave her an audience by his bath, over which a board had been laid to serve as a writing desk. Their interview lasted around fifteen minutes. He asked her what was happening in Caen and she explained, reciting a list of the offending deputies. After he had finished writing out the list, Corday claimed that he told her, "Their heads will fall within a fortnight". A statement which she later changed at her trial to, "Soon I shall have them all guillotined in Paris". This was unlikely since Marat did not have the power to have anyone guillotined. At the moment, Corday rose from her chair, drawing out the kitchen knife hidden on her person, and brought it down hard into Marat’s chest. He lost a lot of blood and died within a minute or so.
Marat was immortalized in this painting and became a political martyr. This piece is astounding and blows me away. The comosition, the color and use of light, is gives depth to this. The incredibl lifelike way the body is slumped over the side of the tub, his hands still grasping the pen and paper. Its if he is caught in the moment of death; just as the last ounce of life slips away. His work speaks for itself, you can feel the passion and the pain he must have felt. He gave Marat so much dignity.
Another brillant piece is the Oath of the Horatii (1784). The story behind this one is just as moving as that of Marat's. The painting depicts three members of the Roman Horatii family, who, according to Titus Livius' Ab Urbe Condita (From the Founding of the City) had been chosen for a ritual duel against three members of the Curiatii, a family from Alba Longa, in order to settle disputes between the Romans. In the painting we see three brothers showin their loyalty with Rome before going into battle. In the background we see women very close to them, one a wife, another a fiance, and the other a sister. They are cloaked in despair while the men are strong and don't seem to depict much emotion. I find it interesting that he used duller colors to really emphasize the importance of the piece. Th brushstrokes are very fine and the focus is very clear. And the use of straight lines on the men sort of mirroring both the columns and the swords. It gives them more strength.
His work has always cativated me. It is beautiful, classic, and moving. It shows amazing talent and dedication to something wonderful.
When you look at Rococo art you can definetly see the influence from the Neoclassical era. But the Rococo era will be another blog post.
One thing I have always found interesting and heartwarming about David was his burial. Even though he was exiled from France and buried in Brussels, his heart was buried in Pere Lachaise, Paris; with his wife.
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