The Oath of the Horatii, The masterpiece by Jacques-Louis David

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The Oath of the Horatii was one of the first true Neoclassical masterpieces. Jacques Louis David painted it in 1784 as a royal commission, and when it was first exhibited at the Salon in 1785 it was a huge hit. They even had to extend the opening hours of the Salon so they could let more people to see it.
In this video, we take a look at the story it tells and the way it tells it. And I also tell the story of its less than ideal things it influenced.

[@riverwildcat1]

Well done. Fascinating background story.

[@SuperGreatSphinx]

May Peace Prevail On Earth

[@bev9708]

With my Louvre pass, I can invite a friend for free on Saturdays, and this is one of the works that I always talk about when I go with someone new... it is particularly interesting for my French friends. Of course I learned even more details from you here today, as I knew I would!! Many thanks Carel!! So many paintings in the Louvre are discoloured with age, like this one, and desperately need cleaning... the downside of having such a massively huge collection I guess!

[@dinahnicest6525]

With my membership, I can visit the Toledo museum for free. That's where I learned about the distaff. I go there often, rarely for much more than an hour, and I never walk past this picture without stopping for yet another look. The story is briefly told on a card on the wall. It's a powerful picture.

[@dumoulin11]

I love the series of developing triangles that the legs make at the bottom of the picture, like a wave moving towards the right, cresting in the middle and then collapsing into the bent legs of the women.

[@dinahnicest6525]

The Toledo picture has an addition of a distaff at the feet of the women.

[@bev9708]

Ohhh interesting!! Well spotted!!

[@dinahnicest6525]

@@bev9708 It's posted on the wall in Toledo.

[@_Tyler-G]

I have always loved this painting and he’s one of my favorite painters

[@meenakshi6344]

The detour about the 'salute' was very interesting

[@poratl]

Fantastic, thank you

[@Dino_Medici]

Ahhhh man that Aurelius coin is my favvvvvvvv hahaha

[@renater.540]

An other of your interesting and thoroughly detailed analyses. Learned more about the painting and the historic background than I did ages ago at university. Thank you so much for your insights! As an aside (and no offence intended): I find your "invitation" for liking and subscribing somewhat disturbing. The noise is so loud that it detracts attention from the text. If you 'd reduce it, one could follow your words more easily. And be sure: your community will follow you even without the regular reminder. It's the content that's inviting not the symbols and the clicks. Greetings from an Austrian art lover in Bavaria!

[@storiesofart]

Thank you for that. I will lower the click volume!

[@renater.540]

@@storiesofart Thank you!

[@cineast1980]

"So... Unsurprisingly the Nazis got it wrong because.. when did the Nazis ever get anything right.." Thank you! 🌈☀😊👍

[@storiesofart]

Glad you noticed that

[@Dino_Medici]

Exemplum Virtutis 🏛🏛🏛🏛🏛🏛 Dope channel dude looking forward to checking out more of your work!