...It is evident through this painting that Rococo art tends to avoid straight lines and classical symmetry and favors curves, unusual balances, and an abundance of ornamental detail. The structure of Rococo appealed to the newly emerging mercantile class and the aristocrats, who in a bid to ignore the growing unrest, devoted there lives to pleasure and used such paintings as a release from the realities of that day. The Neo classical period was at its height between 1750 and 1880.
When the French Revolution occurred French painting returned to a moral and political purpose. Neoclassicism was embraced as the style of the period. The excesses of the Rococo period - all the lavish scenes of wealth - were dropped for a more "classical" type of painting, as they had now turned away from the light hearted and 'pretty' subject matter. The artists of this time sought to paint themes of virtue, pride, and personal sacrifice. In this type of painting, the artist painted with restraint and discipline and the composition is balanced, colours bright, and the work has more soul.
Perhaps the most famous painting of this period is that of Jacques Louis David, entitled the Death Of Marat. As David was a very important artist of the time, he often used his artistic success to influence the people of France. This is quite evident in his masterpiece Death Of Marat. Which would have been a violent, grotesque and bloody final scene in the life of Marat - a leading figure in the period which followed the revolution, 'the Terror'. Marat suffered from a form of skin disease called leprosy, so to help relive the symptoms he would take long baths. Whilst in his bath doing his paper work (which he often did), a lady by the name of Charlotte Corday entered and stabbed Marat to death as a form of protest against the 'The Terror' which she believed he was to blame for. But in David's painting this bloody, violent death has been portrayed quite differently. From the murder of a hated revolutionary killer, David intends to show his friend Marat in ideal and noble terms. Making this painting a major piece of art propaganda.
The background in this painting is very Spartan or plain, only what is truly necessary in the scene is shown. When in reality the bathroom in which he was murdered would have been extremely rich and overly decorated. The papers on the wooden box, and the soft feather quill still just held by his hand, symbolize that Marat was a hard worker who strove for all that was good and just (when in reality he was perhaps no more that a vicious killer). The humble knife and single clean stab wound, give the impression of a dignified death for Marat, even though it was said that he was stabbed numerous times resulting in quite a gruesome scene. David has also shown Marat to be quite saintly in the way he is positioned in the bath tub. The flow of his arm over the edge of the bath and the position in which his head has been rested is often associated with the numerous paintings of Christ. So David aimed to so his friend as a great benefactor to humanity and a true Martyr in his painting, but the reality of this scene is quite the opposite...

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