The Death of Marat, 1793 by Jacques-Louis David (1748-1826)
The philosophy of art during the middle 18th century was Neoclassicism. Artist were turning to the Classical age in rebellion to the frivolity of art in earlier movements; Baroque and Rococo. Not only in art but in other aspects of culture such as literature and politics the, neoclassicism was recalling ancient standards of seriousness, morality and idealism. Neoclassicalism was established as a coherent movement in the arts in in the late 18th century, France.
France the 18th century was a nation in turmoil. The poorest people were forced to assume the burden of the high taxes while the aristocracy and clergy were exempted from, payment. Sanaculottes or the masses attacked Bastille the royal prison on July 14, 1789. This event occurred in hope of finding a stock of weapons.August 4th 1789 the Constituent Assembly voted to abolish the ancien régime or feudal society. The royal family tried to flee to Paris in 1791. However, they were captured. The trial and execution of Louis the XVI took place in 1973.
Jacques-Louis David (1748-1826) was in active sympathy with the Revolution. He created majestic historical painting such asOath of the Horatii, Deathof Socrates and The Death of Marat. The public saw this paintings as artistic demand for action. On July, 141790 David orchestrated the great festival of the people. He designed uniforms, banners, triumphal arches, and inspirational props for the Jacobin club’s propaganda. The Jacobin Club was the largest and most powerful political club of the French Revolution. He was elected a Deputy from the city of Paris, and voted for the execution of Louis XVI.He was active in numerous agencies of the reign of terror, and historians have identified more than 300 victims for whom David signed execution orders. He was president of the Jacobin club on the day when his good friend and fellow Jacobin, Jean-Paul Marat, was killed.
Marat was deputy to the Coinvention of Jacobin and editor-in-chieg of L’Ami du Peuple. His character was fiery and passionate. He was patriot to some and a hateful demagogue to others. Charlottle Corday, Royalist from Caen arrived at Marat’s apartment on July 13, 1793. Marat was soaking on his bath as he did four numerous hour to treat a disfiguring skin disease. Corday was received by Marat and she stabbed him in the chest.
David was asked to paint a portrait of Marat the day after the murder by the Convention. David had seen the room in which the day before the murder and was able to recall every last detail. The Death of Marat is scene of Marat dead in his tub surrounded by his white sheet and petition still clutching in his hand. His skin is yellowed from his skin disease. His eye lids droop and his head weighs on shoulder. The figure was painted as healthy young man. David used a idealism figure to represent the friend he had lost. Life has slipped from the face and suffering is seen easing into peacefulness.
Marat is surrounded by a number of details borrowed from actual room including the knife and Corday’s petition. David was attempting to suggest through these objects both the victims simplicity and greatness and also the faithlessness of the assassin. The petition reads “My great unhappiness gives me a right to your kindness.” The assignator a bill issued as currency by the French Revolutionary government (1789-96) on the security of expropriated lands was being prepared by Marat. It was for some poor unfortunate , “you will give this assignat to that mother of five children whose husband died in the defense of his country.”
A clear light is suffused over the face body and the object in the room. It is soft on the victim and falls harsh on the petition. The subtle interplay of elements work in perfect harmony with the composition. We can see David compassion and outrage. To David Marat was idealized modern saint. If we forget who Marat was, this painting is a image of death. The dark background lightens to the right as if the heavens have opened to welcome the departed soul. The elements are reminiscent of a Christian martyr. However, David used no Christian imagery to persuade the viewer that Marat was killed for a cause held passionately to both David and Marta’s hearts.
November 15, 1793 the painting was presented to the Coinvention and was highly praised. It was later returned to David and was rescued from obscurity after his death. Romantics later saw this painting only in cold classicism and not what it was;” the face expresses a supreme kindness and an exemplary revolutionary spirit carried to the point of sacrifice.” Baudelaire restored to e place in honor and wrote in 1846:
“The drama is here, vivid in its pitiful horror. This painting is David’s masterpiece and one of the great curiosities of modern art because, by a strange feat, it has nothing trivial or vile. What is most surprising in this very unusual visual poem is that it was painted very quickly. When one thinks of the beauty of the lines, this quickness is bewildering. This is food for the strong, the triumph of spiritualism. This painting is as cruel as nature but it has the fragrance of ideals. Where is the ugliness that hallowed Death erased so quickly with the tip of his wing? Now Marat can challenge Apollo. He has been kissed by the loving lips of Death and he rests in the peace of his metamorphosis. This work contains something both poignant and tender; a soul is flying in the cold air of this room, on these cold walls, around this cold funerary tub”
David was the unchallenged painter of the Revolution. He painted three ‘martyrs of the Revolution.’ The same universal tragedy found in antiquity was applied to the modern men. The death of Marat is the only one to survive. The Death of Lepeletier (of 1793) was destroyed in the Thermidorian reaction, and The Death of Bara remained unfinished. During Thermidorian reaction, David was arrested but not killed. While in prison for a year he painted his second self portrait.
References
Trustees of Boston College, Jacques-Louis David: The Death of Marat 2004
http://www.bc.edu/bc_org/avp/cas/his/CoreArt/art/neocl_dav_marat.html
Art History 
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