Notes From The Garret

I recently attended a Louvre exhibit on the painter Jacques-Louis David, most known for the muscular classicism of The Oath of the Horatii,  1786. While its decisive attitudes and body language are often perceived as heralding the Revolution, in reality it was bought by Louis XVI himself. Some very good art historical writing has been done concerning where David stood on politics that year, none of it conclusive, but what is sure is that when all hell broke loose he did become a member of the Committee of Public Safety and signer of many an execution warrant, the king's included and perhaps even that of a former love, Mme. Chalgrin (or so the story goes, at least).                                                         Jacques-Louis David, The Oath of the Horatii, 1786,  Louvre,  photo: Wiki, Shonagon...