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Question: In what ways and to what extent is an understanding of historical context important in approaching the works of (a) David and (b) Rousseau? "The Lictors Returning to Brutus the Bodies of his Sons", is a painting by the French artist Jean-Louis David in 1789. Having led the fight which overthrew the monarchy and established the Roman Republic. Brutus tragically saw his sons participate in a plot to restore the monarchy. As a judge, he was called upon to render the verdict, and without hesitation condemned his two sons to death.
The full title of this work is "Brutus Returning Home after having Sentenced his Sons for Plotting a Tarquinian Restoration and Conspiring against Roman Freedom; the Lictors brint there Bodies to be Buried. " In 1789, for Jean-Louis David to bring up such a subject was majorly controversial and reveals how deeply committed the artist was to the new ideas and enlightenment principals. Indeed, had the revolution not occured, this picture could never have been exhibited publicly. After the fall of the bastille, David's pictures were seen as a republican manifesto, and greatly raised David's reputation In order to fully understand David's artwork, it is important to posts a certain amount of historical knowledge on the various events that took place during the artists career, mainly the French Revolution. Behind each of his paintings is a story of historical importance.
However, it is also very likely that David's paintings were often misinterpreted simply due to the fact that someone didn't fully grasp the significance of the artwork. Like "The Lictors Returning to Brutus the Bodies of his Sons", as recorded by the Roman historian Livy, David's paintings covered many different historical era's. "The Death of Marat", 1793, is more simplistic and intense. David was in active sympathy with the Revolution, his majestic historical paintings, ("The Oath of Horatio", "Death of Socrates", and "Brutus's sons") were hailed as artistic demands for political action. He orchestrated the great festival of the people on 14 July 1790, and designed uniforms, banners, triumphal arches, and inspirational props for the Jacobin club's propaganda. David was president of the Jacobin club on the day that his good friend and fellow Jacobin, Jean-Paul Marat was killed by a young Royalist who managed to gain entry into his apartment. "The Death of Marat", was misunderstood by the Romantics who saw in it only a cold classicism. This was not an uncommon reaction towards David's art at the time.
However, the painting was restored to a place of honor by Baudelaire, who wrote: "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. " David's artwork did not just involve the use of "pretty" colours. Many of his paintings based powerfull meanings, historically and politically. Culturally they had a huge impact on social activity during the French Revolution.
The story of Brutus was popular with educated sections of the French public during the eighteenth century. Voltaire's play "Brutus", was performed on stage from 1730. In November 1790, the first two performances of a revival of "Brutus" at the National Theater in Paris took place. At the second performance of the revival, a stage tableau of David's painting was acted out at the moment when the death of Brutus's on was announced. Like his later "Death of Marat", David's "Brutus" can be seen as a representation of a kind of political heroism in which the best interests of society are put before those of the individual. His painting also appeared at a time when a general dissatisfaction with autocratic rule was to turn into popular support for alternative models of government.
Another important and influential character of the French Revolution was that of Jean-Jacques Rousseau. His profound insight can be found in almost every trace of modern philosophy today. Somewhat complicated and ambiguous, Rousseau's general philosophy tried to grasp an emotional and passionate side of man, which he felt was left out of most previous philosophical thinking. During the early stages of the Revolution, Jean-Paul Marat helped to fuel the passions of parisians by reading, "The Social Contract", by Jean-Jacques Rousseau to large crowds on street corners. "The Social Contract" was frequently quoted during the Revolution.
Most of the debates held in the National Convention focused on Rousseau's ideas. The revolutionaries assumed that he described a way of running the country based on reason and moral principle, rather than on tradition and superstition. "The Social Contract", describes the relationship of man with society. Contrary to his earlier work, Rousseau claimed that the state of nature is a brutish condition without law or morality, and that there are good men only as a result of society's presence. In the state of nature, man is prone to be in frequent competition with his fellow men. However, because he can be more successful facing threats by uniting with other men, he forms a collective human presence known as "society."The Social Contract", is the "pact" agreed to among men that sets the conditions for membership in society. A historical understanding of the French Revolution is needed in order to understand Rousseau's political philosophy.
It is also important to know how members of society thought and acted politically. Rousseau's writings were very controversial throughout the Revolution, which is one of the main reasons why he did not remain in France for too long and fled to countries like Prussia and England when his arrest was ordered. The three main causes of the French Revolution were political, social, and financial. The government was inefficient, unjust and corrupt. There were too many government departments, different laws in different parts of the country and different officials.
Many people became angry about the way France was being governed and could do nothing to change it. The French parliament was called the Estates-General. It was made up of the first Estate-churchmen or clergy, the second Estate-nobility, and the third Estate-commoners. During the 18 th century, the French government spent more money than it collected on taxes. By 1788, the country was bankrupt. Most of the money was kept on wars.
Most enlightenment philosophers continued to believe that the division of society into ranks was perfectly proper, and that monarchy would provide the most legitimate and secure form of government. Against the ideas of legitimacy of monarchy, Rousseau introduced the notions of the "social contract" and the "general will. " One of Rousseau's ideas which inspired revolutionaries was that, to be legitimate, the authority the state has over the people must come from the people themselves, and not from a single person such as the king. He also claimed that the goal of the government should be to secure freedom, equality and justice for all within the state regardless of the will of the majority. During the revolution many people found they could relate to Rousseau's writings and philosophical ideas, just in the same way as Jean-Louis David and his paintings. Both these influential people helped to ignite a passion amongst the French general public and change French politics. Looking at Rousseau's idea for government seems unacceptable or impossible to us, however, his idea, which was prominent in the revolution, that sovereignty resides with the people, that "man is born free." Both Rousseau and democracy preserve the idea that government is legitimate only if it emerges from us.
Jean-Louis David's form of neoclassical paintings which are difficult to seperate from their political and social context, were very different from the traditional paintings of the era. When looking at David's artwork one must acknowledge how artistic concerns were bound up with broader social issues. Many of his paintings bear strong symbolic political references. In order to read, think like Rousseau or understand the true meaning behind David's artwork one must possess, from a historical context, knowledge on the French Revolution, how different French society and culture was and information regarding each artists background, for example, who they were, and what they meant to the general public of that time.
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Research essay sample on Jean Louis David Jacques Rousseau
