Jacques-Louis David
French·1748–1825
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Neoclassical master Jacques-Louis David (1748-1825) dominated French painting for decades, shifting art from Rococo frivolity toward classical austerity. His history paintings intended as moral exemplars: The Oath of the Horatii (1784) and Death of Socrates (1787) embody civic virtue and sacrifice. As painter during the French Revolution and Napoleon's reign, David created iconic images of both the Terror and Empire, including The Death of Marat and The Coronation of Napoleon.
David initially studied under Francois Boucher before winning the Prix de Rome in 1774. Years in Italy studying antiquity transformed his style. Returning to Paris, he became a member of the Academy in 1783. During the Revolution, David was a friend of Robespierre and effectively "dictator of the arts." Napoleon appointed him "First Painter to the Emperor" in 1804. After Waterloo, David exiled himself to Brussels, remaining there until death. He trained hundreds of young painters, including Ingres and Gros. The Louvre holds The Oath of the Horatii and The Coronation of Napoleon; The Death of Marat is at the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium.
