Jacques-Louis David's Oath Of The Horatio

In 19th century France, the Neoclassical art style arose, influenced by the classical artistic style of Greco-Roman society. Around this time, France encountered many political, social and economic changes brought up mostly by the lower class French citizens. Jacques-Louis David was a highly influential Neoclassical artist during this time. Commissioned by both Nobles and lower class citizens of France, he created artworks such as the Oath of the Horatii (image 1), the Death of Marat (image 2), and Napoleon Crossing the Alps (image 3). David's art represented the ideas of thinkers of that time rather than just the ideals of that time. The purpose of David's art was to gain the support of French citizens through artistic propaganda in order

To truly understand what is relevant about this story of the Horatii and this painting of David in relation to the French Revolution, it is important to make a distinction between the things that are relevant for this research and what is not. The renaissance of the Antiquity sort of means the same as the downfall of the Ancien Regime. Neoclassicism is connected to reality and the values of the Antiquity, wherein the Ancien Regime is connect to the beauty and plentifulness of the rococo style. That rococo style is something most monarchies could identify with.(Kunstkennis.nl)

Many attribute the evolution of the French revolution as the catalyst for redirection of the style of artwork from Baroque and Rococo to Neoclassical and Romanticism. Two leading masterpieces that support this aspect are respectively: Jacques-Louis David, Oath of the Horatii, (c. 1784) and Eugène Delacroix, Liberty Leading the People, (c. 1830). As commented in Essential Humanities (2016), the French revolution “in all its heroic glory and grisly destruction” (par. 10) is masterfully portrayed in Delacroix 's personification of liberty. In addition, the summons for commitment to the cause of freedom is classically rendered in David 's vow of victory or death. Within this essay both of these paintings are examined in regards to their connection to the French revolution.

The period surrounding 1781 to 1855 in France’s history is united by social and political change, an evolution of ideological struggles towards the best possible political struggle amongst anchoring human faults. The life of the artist too underwent change and struggled with the hierarchy that existed to validate artistic triumph. Changes are apparent amongst a broad spectrum, including David, Ingres, history paintings and caricatures. Artists that demonstratively epitomize the shifts, overwhelmingly united by a shift from acceptance to defiance, are Eugene Delacroix (1789 – 1863) and Gustave Courbet (1819 – 1877). Artistic and cultural differences that developed are transparent through understanding

There were several strong influences on painters after the French Revolution, especially in the Neoclassical and Romantic periods. The bloody events of the revolution inspired painters to write about similarly important and momentous events, and it was not just French painters who took steps to show these emotions through their work. From the Neoclassical period, Jacques-Louis David’s “The Oath of the Horatii” conveys these ideas, and from the Romantic period, Eugene Delacroix’s “Liberty Leading the People” show similar ideas.

Claude Vignon’s work called David with the Head of Goliath, is an interpretation of the artist Caravaggio’s original masterpiece, which shows art’s familiar paradigm, every painter paints himself. His motivation for creating this piece was from visiting rome in 1610, he was influenced by Caravaggism, which was art inspired in the style of Caravaggio. “Some art historians regard him as a precursor of Rembrandt.” Painted circa 1620-1623, it is an oil on canvas, made in Paris, France, 133.7 cm x 98 cm (52 5/8 in. x 38 9/16 in.). “Vignon was a French painter, printmaker and illustrator, and, in 1623, was one of the most respected, productive, and successful artists in France, in which his patrons were king Louis XIII and Cardinal Richelieu.” He was born into a wealthy family and started art lessons when he was a young boy. A theme could be religious rebellion against others who were seen as powerful such as Goliath, and were not fit to be in power.

Post-Impressionism came about later in 19th century (1880-1890's) France. During that time, Edouard Vuillard, Pierre Bonnard, and Maurice Denis, members of a group of experimental artists known as the Nabis, played a significant role in the revival of decorative painting. Their experimentation with the arrangement of line and color was meant to function as a visual equivalent of nature without replicating its appearance. They also hoped to reassert the role of paint in decorating interior living spaces. Influenced by Impressionists use of color, yet pushing the appearance of nature, especially stressing high-keyed color, they developed bold new styles using innovative brushwork and emphasizing geometric shapes and figures. These techniques are known as Divisionism or Pointillism and they contrast significantly with the short, spontaneous canvases of Impressionism. Contributing to these developments were the likes of Vincent Van Gogh, Paul Gaugin, and George Seurat. These techniques later influenced many abstract painters of the early 20th

The artists Jean-Honore Fragonard and Jaques-Louis David both successfully embody their respective stylistic differences. Fragonard’s style of painting is Rococo, which is characterized by its softness, asymmetry and curviness. Contrasting these ideals is David’s style of painting, Neo-Classicism. Neo-Classicism is synonymous with strong gestures, symmetry, and solidness. Two works that best exemplify the ideals of each style of painting are Fragonard’s The Swing, 1767 and David’s The Death of Socrates, 1787. Although at first glance, it is easier to focus on how each work is different to the other, one can argue that they are similar in theme. Both

In the scope of this paper two works of art would be compared and contrasted - David’s Oath of the Horatii and Painting of Giovanni Arnolfini and His Bride by Van Eyck.

When displayed at the Salon of 1795, David’s work was received with a great deal of critical acclaim from both aristocracy and revolutionary. The painting conveys the message of allegiance and self-sacrifice to one’s country. According to the story, the three Horatti brothers are swearing their allegiance to Rome, and defeat Alba and the Curatii. The women grieving in the corner are fated to lose someone they lose no matter which side wins, which speaks to the broader sentiment of the sacrifices that one has to make for their country, even if it means sacrificing your own blood and kin. David’s painting would later ironically serve as the icon for the French Revolution, since he was himself a revolutionary. Despite painting this for the Louis XVI’s court, The Oath of the Horatii ends up subverting the loyalty to the monarchy. The Horatti brothers, like the French revolutionaries, all had to give up something in order to protect the interest of or create a better country for themselves. David’s painting creates an interesting dialogue between the past and present through this aspect of inevitable yet ironic violence that ensues in order to ensure peace and

Jacques Louis David believed in neoclassicism. Neoclassicalism was popular in the second half of the 18th century. It appealed mostly to the middle class and it was abrupted when people were getting tired of the rococo style of artwork. Two other things that helped in the rise of neoclassical was republican aspirations, and archaeological excavations. He has a lot of linear forms which created a narrative within his art. When he developed his empire style, it was popular because of its venetian colors. Painting from this style showed more linear brushwork rather than regular painting styles and balanced composition.

Jacques-Louis David was a Neo-classical artist in 18th Century France. He painted in this serious style as a direct reaction against the accepted Rococo art era. Whilst the Rococo era was shallow and frivolous in subject matter (see The Swing, right), David’s paintings focused strongly on ideas of sacrifice and duty. But why would he work in this way? It was because David had a clear purpose for his art. He was a strong Republican who longed for the day when France would overthrow the gluttonous,

When we look at the history of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, we always like to use the confinement of thinking and the liberation of ideas to sum up the two, especially in the art, the medieval paintings are often used in dark colors, deformed three-dimensional concept Showing the real world, and often less a bit human nature. And after the Renaissance, the painting masters are the opposite of it. I am not here to comment on their good or bad, but from the artistic point of view, to explore whether a good form of art needs to reflect the community and a wide range of civilizations

David was a supporter of the French Revolution and this may be his political influence on the painting even though Napoleon was a son of the Revolution as well.

ten feet tall. The painting was done by Jacques-Louis David, who was the leading Neoclassical painter in France during the eighteenth century. David rejected the Rococo style that was popular of that time, which was characterized by fantasy and playfulness. David was interested in painting images with antiquity. The Oath of the Horatii has elements of classical Greek and Roman art and architecture. Oath of the Horatii was a political painting that David had comprised to stimulate the publics attention (Fred S. Kleiner 680).