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He also avidly supported the French Revolution, painting a variety of famous war and political figures. Growing up in France, David was virtually surrounded by beautiful art, whether it be from the architecture, or previous artist's painting. The city and its people inspired David a great amount. He was a distant relative of Boucher, who perhaps helped his early artistic progress as a pupil under Vien (1765). David was his protégé and he put him into the public eye with his art as often as possible. He won the Prix de Rome in 1774 and traveled with his master to Rome where he spent six years. Soon after however, he abandoned his original manner of work, which used a Baroque use of lighting and composition for a stark, highly finished and morally didactic style. This art style was common between this century and the previous. Although Baroque art had its origins in the Catholic Church, the possibilities for propaganda afforded by the involving and illusionistic techniques of the Baroque style were not lost on secular patrons. This method of propaganda is precisely how David began to use his talent. In 1784 the change of style was confirmed by the Oath of the Horatii (Paris, Louvre), probably the most famous and certainly the most severe of a series of works which extolled the antique virtues of stoicism, masculinity and patriotism. In this work a man is holding three swords outwards to his sons, it conveys strong emotion and is filled to the brim with symbolism. The three brothers swear to sight to the death for their homeland. This strong emotion became linked to the patriotic vervor as the Revolution was about to get underway. During the French Revolution, David played an active role artistically as he reorganized the Academe and produced numerous and spectacular propaganda exercises. He also demonstrated his amazing brushstroke politically, as an avid supporter of Robespierre, who voted for the execution of the king. Other such patriotic works include the "Oath of the Tennis Court", which is the historic event where revolution was planned out and signed upon. His interest in politics slowly began to fade towards the end of the 1700's, however was still criticized by his enemies. Soon after the Reign of Terror ended, David was punished for his work. The Moderate Directory imprisoned him. This capture was eventually faltered by his estranged wife. She lead an intervention which led to his freedom. Inspired by the heroic gesture he painted "Intervention of the Sabine Woman". Several years after David's escape from prison, Napoleon gained power in France, and David gained a new hero. David portrayed Napoleon in several propaganda paintings to show his advocacy and build public relations. However this inspiration would be short lived, virtually immediately after Napoleon fell from power, David would too. In 1815 he left in exile to Brussels, where he continued to paint mythological subjects drawn from the Greek and Roman past. He became a master of dramatic lighting, ideal forms, and gestural clarity which are all emphasized throughout all his works. David's work varies from time to time for a number of contributing factors. He was an expert at depicting the French Revolution. David's early work, shows simplistic and somewhat boring figures, not showing much action or emotion. As the revolution progressed and grew stronger, as did his quality of work. He was the leader of the Neo-Classical style in France, a keen supporter of the French revolution and the personal painter to famous political leaders such as Napoleon. This Neo-Classical style would dominate European art for almost a half-century. A painting considered by some to be the one that links him most clearly to modern painting, is the martyr portrait of Jacobin leader Jean-Paul Marat. It shows a graphic picture of him dead in his bath after being stabbed by Charlotte Corday. Obviously David was a supporter of the Robespierre, and as his work progressed through his career his subjects he painted became more modern and political. He spent a good amount of the Revolution at Napoleon's side, with brush in hand. David became his court painter and created several grand canvasses of the emperor, including the heroic "Napoleon Bonaparte Crossing the Alps (1801), and the enormous "Coronation of Napoleon and Josephine". Another famous Napoleon painting David is well known for is "Napoleon in his Study", with its famous image of Napoleon with one hand tucked inside his vest. This is often used as a stereotypical "crazy" symbol. Which is somewhat true, for the politics and drama of the Revolution bred within David a certain madness. Not only was he the personal painter of Napoleon, but he was also appointed to the Committee of General Security in 1793. This madness gave him the ability to sign off people to their deaths. A power which he in fact used when he sent nearly 300 arrested individuals to be guillotined. Throughout his entire career, David was a truly prolific portraitist. They were smaller in scale, yet more intimately human than his larger works. This aspect shows his great amount of technical mastery and understanding of character. Most modern critics see these as his finest work, since they are free from the moralizing messages and sometimes stilted technique of some of his previous neo-classical pieces. His career is basically a transition from the rococo of the 18th century to the realism of the 19th. He opened doors and taught things in paint which will never be forgotten, and are still used today. His skills and talents influenced several famous pupils such as Antione Jean Gros, and Jean-Augustine-Dominique, and his works continued to inspire younger artists, laying down the foundation of art, leading the world into the romantics. Bibliography: 1. http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/auth/david/, Webmuseum: David,Jacques-Louis, 3 pg. 2. David,Jacques-Louis Dorothy Johnson, 336 pages; (November 29, 1993) : Published by Princeton Univ Pr. 3. David,Jacques-Louis (Masters of Art Series), Luc De Nanteuil; 128 pages; (April 1990) : Publised by Harry N Abrams. 4. Jacques-Louis David and Jean-Louis Prieur, Revolutionary Artists : The Public, the Populace, and Images of the French Revolution, Warren Roberts; 370 pages; (December 1999) : Published by State Univ of New York Pr. Word Count: 1022
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