Jacques-Louis David studied painting in Rome where he was able to absorb the classical sprit of Ancient Rome ( Fleming. 1995. p. 496 ) . He was influenced by Enlightenment philosophers such as Diderot. and from them. he developed the thought that pictures should hold a message that points to political and/or societal action ( Fleming. 1995. p. 496 ) . A member of the middle class. David was personally involved in many Revolutionary events: he organized a festival of the people ( July 14. 1790 ) . designed propaganda stuffs for the Jacobins. voted in support of Louis XVI’s executing. and signed executing orders for over 300 people ( Boston College. 2006 ) .
David. so. was unambiguously positioned to unite ancient values. Enlightenment idea. and radical rules in his pictures. The involvement in classical values in the late eighteenth century arose from two beginnings: the find of Herculaneum and Pompeii and the rise in popularity of radical ideals. In peculiar. the Roman Republic was seen to incarnate a spirit of bravery. freedom. and resistance to autarchy that resonated with eighteenth century revolutionists in France and the United States ( Anonymous. N.
d. ) For creative persons. these neo-classical thoughts came in the pretense of seeking for new subject-matter. Previously. most creative persons painted spiritual. fabulous. or allegorical scenes ( Anonymous. n. d. ) . In footings of capable affair. David’s “The Death of Marat” is neo-classical in the sense that scene is neither spiritual. nor fabulous. nor allegorical in nature. In fact. the topic is a contemporary figure – Jean-Paul Marat.
The pick of Marat confirms to the radical ideals associated with neo-classicism in that Marat was a outstanding leader of the Gallic Revolution who was killed by Charlotte Corday. a member of the resistance ( Anonymous. n. d. ) . David’s sympathies clearly lie with the Revolution. as he portrayed Marat as a sufferer ( Anonymous. n. d. ) . Marat’s place in the bath bath. surrounded by stuffs needed for work ( paper. quill. ink ) requires some account. As he suffered from a skin disease. Marat spent many hours working in his bath ( Boston College. 2006 ) .
David painted the picture shortly after Marat’s slaying on July 13. 1793. Originally asked by the Convention to paint Marat’s portrayal at the clip of his decease. David chose to show an idealised portrayal of the adult male. instead than an reliable word picture of the quickly break uping organic structure ( Boston College. 2006 ) . David was overcome with emotion upon this petition from the Convention. as Marat had been his close friend and ally ( Annenberg. n. d. ) . This picture functions about like a detective novel: all of the hints needed to work out the instance are present in the image.
Marat’s wounds figure conspicuously. there is a bloody knife on the floor. and the paper in Marat’s left manus is a missive his liquidator gave to him merely before she stabbed him ( Annenberg. n. d. ) . Though I did non cognize the background behind the portrayal. I was instantly drawn to this picture because of the serene. yet pained. look on the subject’s face. I was intrigued by the fact that the topic appears at first glimpse to be taking a remainder from his work. It is merely when I noticed the ruddy colour that I realized that the topic was shed blooding.
The ruddy splodges on the paper in the subject’s left manus seem to bespeak that he placed this manus over his lesions before recapturing his paper. This colour aggressively contrasts with the white bath fabrics. The knife seems to be an reconsideration. tossed aside by the liquidator. Without cognizing the specifics behind the picture. the spectator is left with many unreciprocated inquiries. Who is this Marat that is mentioned on the tabular array by the bath and whose name appears on the sheet of paper in the subject’s left manus? In short. this picture sparked my wonder to larn more about the unbelievable narrative behind the picture.
Image: ? Mentions Annenberg Media ( n. d. ) . Art of the Western World: An Age of Reason. An Age of Passion. Retrieved on May 11. 2010 from hypertext transfer protocol: //www. scholar. org/vod/vod_window. hypertext markup language? pid=233. Anonymous ( n. d. ) . Lecture: Enlightenment and the Romantic Era. Retrieved on May 11. 2010 from hypertext transfer protocol: //www. Stockton. edu/~fergusoc/romantic/romantic. htm Boston College ( 2006 ) . Jacques-Louis David: The Death of Marat. Retrieved May 11. 2010 from hypertext transfer protocol: //www. bc. edu/bc_org/avp/cas/his/CoreArt/art/neocl_dav_marat. hypertext markup language Fleming. W. ( 1995 ) . Arts & A ; Ideas. Ninth edition. Fort Worth: Harcourt Brace College Publishers.
