Marat Assassinated 1793

How has painting been used as a political tool? Jacques-Louis David’s oil painting ‘The Death of Marat’ (1793) has become a striking symbol of the French Revolution. ☠️ Jacques-Louis David (1748-1825) was a key figure in Neoclassical painting during the eighteenth century. He specialised in severe and impressive history painting, often depicting narratives from mythology. His dramatic history paintings are characterised by large groups of figures and typically include a moral message. Traditionally, history painting was considered the most prestigious genre, as it required the combination of accurate anatomical figures with emotion. 🎨 In this painting, however, David rejects the grand multi-figure scenes of history painting and focuses on a single man. Jean-Paul Marat (1743-1793) was a politician and journalist who gained prominence as the writer of the radical newspaper ‘The Friend of the People’. He was stabbed to death by Charlotte Corday in 1793, while he was taking a medicinal bath for his skin conditions. Corday was a political enemy of Marat, and was executed soon after. 🛁 Completed soon after Marat’s death, David’s painting depicts the revolutionary leader slumped over the bathtub. He still clutches a feather quill and a letter, smeared with rich red blood. An open gash can be seen on his chest as blood soaks the white cloths which are draped across the tub. The knife is arranged on the floor in the foreground. 🗡️ David has utilised the stylistic techniques associated with paintings of religious martyrs. His use of dramatic light and dark is reminiscent of the Baroque masters such as Caravaggio. The figure of Marat is illuminated; he almost seems to glow against the shadow which dominates the left side of the canvas. Here, David casts Marat as a hero who sacrificed himself to the revolutionary cause. 🪽 Does this depiction remind you of any other paintings? What do you think of this iconic work? 💭👇 Editor: Lucy Jude Grantham