Jacques-Louis David and "Oath of the Horatii"

Description/Abstract/Artist Statement

ABSTRACT

Jacques-Louis David, according to traditional scholarship, painted the Oath of the Horatii to rally the French to the Republican cause and to forsake the monarchy. Conversely, some have argued that David was motivated by money, seeking and accepting royal patronage. While both of these hypotheses have their merits, missing from the discussion is an element of the personal, the place of the work in the artist’s biography. I believe that Jacques-Louis David was rebellious and had the politically conscious intention to personally dismantle and remove the monarchy, even going so far as to abet multiple murders. A review of David’s many acts of personal rebellion and his involvement in the French Revolution reveals that his intention with the Oath of the Horatii was possibly the comparison of his own life with the Horatii brothers, France is the father figure, and the monarchy is the unseen Curatii rivals. David’s intent was to paint his personal oath to the French people to defeat, or in this case, dismantle the monarchy for the sake of the French people.

Presenting Author Name/s

Sarah Hiltabidel

Faculty Advisor/Mentor

Professor Martha Wyatt, Dr. Jared Benton

Faculty Advisor/Mentor Department

Department of Art

College Affiliation

College of Arts & Letters

Presentation Type

Oral Presentation

Disciplines

Other History of Art, Architecture, and Archaeology

Session Title

Art History 3: New Interpretations & Connections

Location

Learning Commons @Perry Library, Room 1306

Start Date

3-25-2023 12:00 PM

End Date

3-25-2023 1:00 PM

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Mar 25th, 12:00 PM Mar 25th, 1:00 PM

Jacques-Louis David and "Oath of the Horatii"

Learning Commons @Perry Library, Room 1306

ABSTRACT

Jacques-Louis David, according to traditional scholarship, painted the Oath of the Horatii to rally the French to the Republican cause and to forsake the monarchy. Conversely, some have argued that David was motivated by money, seeking and accepting royal patronage. While both of these hypotheses have their merits, missing from the discussion is an element of the personal, the place of the work in the artist’s biography. I believe that Jacques-Louis David was rebellious and had the politically conscious intention to personally dismantle and remove the monarchy, even going so far as to abet multiple murders. A review of David’s many acts of personal rebellion and his involvement in the French Revolution reveals that his intention with the Oath of the Horatii was possibly the comparison of his own life with the Horatii brothers, France is the father figure, and the monarchy is the unseen Curatii rivals. David’s intent was to paint his personal oath to the French people to defeat, or in this case, dismantle the monarchy for the sake of the French people.