FA 30b Lecture Notes - Lecture 18: Christian Art, Jacques-Louis David, Horatii
4 Apr 2017
School
Department
Course
Professor
Document Summary
Using ancient themes and ancient protypes as a vechile for expressing virtue and universal truths. That have political resonance to the time. In representing the philospher socrates, his physique and pose are inspired by ancient protypes. Socrates was accused of a crime and sentenced to death by drinking the poision hemlock. Compostion follows deathbead compositions from ancient sculptor. Highly volumetric figures, bathed in light (carravagio inspired a little) Because ultimate truth is transcendental, and even though he is dying, his soul is going to heaven. There is a full range of human reactions. But only plato seems to understand, by looking at him gently. That none of this matters because truth is trancendental. Strategic to paint a big painting with a simple ledgible composition. Recieves the painting as a royal comission. Decides he is going to go back to rome to paint this work. Spends time in rome where he absorbs the legacy of antiquity, renissance and baroque.
