immersed in the ambiance and culture of Rome to complete it. The painting created a sensation when first exhibited in Rome of 1885, and was seen as an allegorical cry for a Revolution in France. Indeed, it was only four more years until the French Revolution was underway. The painting is now kept in the Louvre, Paris.The lines or structure of this painting show how David steered away from the extreme delicacy and flowery treatment of the classical revival typical of the Louis XVI style. Here, every element has been stripped to a type of minimalism. There are no excessive brush strokes and the fluidity, spontaneity, and feminine elegance is replaced with a stoical masculinity. There is a main compositional element of a triangle with the brothers to the left, the women to the right, and Horatius in the center with the up-raised swords forming the apex. The exaggerated posture of Horatius and that of the brothers holding a spear create another triangle; this one slightly left of center and inverted. The eye is immediately drawn to these triangular compositions; yet it also notices the contradicting horizontal lines of the marble floor in the foreground, and the strong vertical lines of the Doric columns and curvilinear archways of the background.Davids choice of colors are few, but well balanced. His pallet seems to consist of red, blue, brown, white, black, and flesh tones. The vivid red of the cloak of Horatius draws the viewer to the center. The brothers wear clothing of red, white, and blue as they prepare to patriotically and passionately fight for the glory of Rome. While the women, in their sullen (Harber, 3)downcast mood, are huddled together in earth tones. The scene is closed off from the rest of the world by the deep shadowy recesses among the columns. The use of shadowpartial and fullhelps to add depth to the basic colors and give variations of hue throughout the composition.The paintings theme or subject matter is...
