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Reflecting The Viewpoints of Time in Art Essay

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Throughout history, ideals such as heroism and patriotism as well as concepts such as war and violence, have acquired different connotations. During the 19th century, they had a positive connotation. With the occurrence of revolutions war and violence was justified under the ideals of patriotism and heroism. During the 21st century, society began to was in the process of developing a more sophisticated view. The century was even more violent than the 19th century with conflicts such as the world wars and in particular the Vietnam War. Yet they were no longer were justified outright by ideals. America, for example, began to question its involvement in the Vietnam War for a number of reasons. Two artists, two centuries apart, …show more content…

David depicts Leonidas and his men in the final moments before battle. At the center and focus of the painting, David has placed Leonidas sitting on a rock. He seems to be thinking about the fate of himself and his men. While Leonidas is looking stoically at the viewer, flurries of activity are occurring around him. To Leonidas’s right, sentinel trumpeters sound the call to arms increasing the sense of the movement. Seated at his feet is his wife’s brother Agis, awaiting orders. Behind Leonidas, are three figures lifting up wreaths about two altars to Hercules and Aphrodite. Two very young warriors are by Leonidas after refusing to carry a message so that they could stay and fight. A man inscribes the words “Passer-by, tell Sparta that her sons died for her” on the rock. All of the figures are ready to die for the glory of Sparta. David painted Leonidas at Thermopylae using oil on canvas. He had “an extremely laborious working procedure, in which draughtsman ship played a major role”. He made countless studies in preparing for the painting. He would even complete drawings of the skeletons of his figures. David painted on a small part of a picture at a time. The purpose was to create the effect of “the look-out man signals the arrival of the Persians, the trumpeters sound the warning fanfare, and Leonidas looks up from his supreme moment of life on earth”. David’s Leonidas represents the ability

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