Jacques-Louis David
About the Artist
Jacques-Louis David was a French painter after the Rococo Age of art. He was an avid supporter of the French Revolution and then later a supporter of Napoleon Bonaparte, and his art reflected that of the Classical ideals and morals. His mythological works of art showcased a realistic sense of appeal while, at the same time, harmonizing the motifs of Classical antiquity of Ancient Greece and Rome with the themes that supported the French Revolution and that of Napoleon. These ideals can be seen within David's Oath of the Horatii (1786), The Death of Socrates (1787), and The Lictors Bring to Brutus the Bodies of His Sons (1789).
About the Movement
David worked in the Neoclassicism Age of art. Neoclassical art drew its inspiration from the Classical Age and through Greco-Roman antiquity. It came about in Europe to counter the ornate and decorative Rococo style. Neoclassical elements were based more on the simple and the serene, letting viewers admire the beauty of the figures and scene within the artwork rather than a narrative or intricate detail. Some of the most famous Neoclassicism artist included Jacques-Louis David, Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, Antonio Canova, and Johan Tobias Sergel.
Fun Fact: David developed his "Empirical Style", known for the use of his Venetian color palette.
Resources: Matthew Collings, "Feelings," in This is Civilization, (Emeryville, California: Athena Studios, 2007), Season 1, Episode 2.
Jacques-Louis David was a French painter after the Rococo Age of art. He was an avid supporter of the French Revolution and then later a supporter of Napoleon Bonaparte, and his art reflected that of the Classical ideals and morals. His mythological works of art showcased a realistic sense of appeal while, at the same time, harmonizing the motifs of Classical antiquity of Ancient Greece and Rome with the themes that supported the French Revolution and that of Napoleon. These ideals can be seen within David's Oath of the Horatii (1786), The Death of Socrates (1787), and The Lictors Bring to Brutus the Bodies of His Sons (1789).
About the Movement
David worked in the Neoclassicism Age of art. Neoclassical art drew its inspiration from the Classical Age and through Greco-Roman antiquity. It came about in Europe to counter the ornate and decorative Rococo style. Neoclassical elements were based more on the simple and the serene, letting viewers admire the beauty of the figures and scene within the artwork rather than a narrative or intricate detail. Some of the most famous Neoclassicism artist included Jacques-Louis David, Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, Antonio Canova, and Johan Tobias Sergel.
Fun Fact: David developed his "Empirical Style", known for the use of his Venetian color palette.
Resources: Matthew Collings, "Feelings," in This is Civilization, (Emeryville, California: Athena Studios, 2007), Season 1, Episode 2.
Artworks found in the Château: