Jacques-Louis David, The Death of Socrates, 1787, 129 x 196 cm, New York, The Metropolitan Museum of
Jacques-Louis David, The Death of Socrates, 1787, 129 x 196 cm, New York, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Catharine Lorillard Wolfe Collection, Wolfe Fund, 1931 The Greek philosopher was 70 years old when this scene has happened. Neoclassical art brings paintings back to a highly idealized form of them. In this painting, one of the hands of the philosopher points to the instrument of his death. The other point upwards, to something higher, to something beyond. The forms are solid and linear; this was equivalent to the grave, exemplary subject. The composition is monumental. The relations of geometric shapes to each other form a beautiful melody. In the context of the French Revolution, this was easily understood as a sacrifice in the name of higher principles, to sacrifice in the name of the Revolution. David played a leading political and artistic role during and after the French Revolution. -- source link
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