Oath of the Horatii Analysis PDF

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Oath of the Horatii Analysis...

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Sara Leonard

C100

Oath of the Horatii Task

Jacques-Louis David was a famous French artist who created the 1784 Oath of the Horatii, one of the best-known paintings of the Neoclassical period, or Age of Enlightenment. During the time David lived and painted, Napoleon I came to power, and there was a strong sense of duty to one’s country (Eisenman & Crow, 2007). His painting tells a story of a time when civic duty and use of logic was necessary. Oath of the Horatii is based on a Roman legend about a dispute between Rome and another city. According to the legend, the leaders have decided that three soldiers from each city will represent their respective lands, and will fight each other, rather than cause potentially thousands of deaths. In Rome, three brothers from the Horatii family have agreed to fight (Livius, 1919). David, like many other Neoclassical artists, rebelled against Baroque ostentation and flashiness. He borrowed classical themes of balance and reason for his works of art. In the famous painting, they are depicted on the left. Clear details and strong, straight lines are obvious through the outstretched arms of the boys, drawing the eye to the swords held aloft by their father in the center (Winkler, 2009). Three women grieve on the right side of the painting, due to betrothal and ties between the families. This painting embodies one of the themes of the Neoclassical era: stoicism, reason, patriotism, and loyalty to one’s country above all else, even family (Eisenman & Crow, 2007). David’s works embody a sense of civic duty and patriotism, all which helped contribute to the Neoclassical themes of austerity, reason, logic, and duty to one’s land (MindEdge, 2021). He used lighting and lines to draw the eye to the focus of the painting. He emphasized republican values, promoted reason rather than emotion, and highlighted all the values of the Age of Enlightenment.

Sara Leonard

C100

Oath of the Horatii Task

Bibliography Eisenman, S., & Crow, T. E. (2007). Nineteenth century art: A critical history. New York, N.Y: Thames & Hudson. MindEdge. (2021). Neoclassical Art and Architecture. Retrieved from MindEdge: https://wgu.mindedgeonline.com/content.php?cid=42533 Livius, T. (1919). The History of Rome. In T. Livius, The History of Rome. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. Winkler, M.M. (2009). The Roman Salute: Cinema, History, Ideology. Columbus: The Ohio State University Press....