1) Jacques Louis-David's painting "Death of Marat" depicts the assassinated French revolutionary Jean-Paul Marat lying dead in his bath, alluding to Christian martyrdom. 2) The isolated figure and use of light creates a sense of clarity and focuses attention on Marat's role as a journalist for the revolution. 3) The painting helped establish David as a visual spokesman for the French Revolution by memorializing Marat and portraying him as a secular martyr advancing the goals of the revolution through his work.

1. Death of Marat, 1794

2. NeoClassicismJacques Louis-David (1748-1825)Death of Marat, 65” x 50”, oil paint

5. Observable InformationHeroic masculinity in Death with allusions to Christian martyrdom from Michelangelo’s Pieta ( a secular religion)Clarity of Line, Polished Finish and isolated colorFigure isolated by shallow space and directed light sourceFigure shown in place of assassination (bath) with tools of the assassin (letter, knife)Setting places Marat in midst of the “People’s Work” answering petitions with pen in hand referring to his role as journalist of the RevolutionDirect mention of “A Marat” on desk has funerary, memorial references

6. Historical/Cultural ContextVirtue of moral rectitude associated with physical clarity and social reform – Marat was an inflammatory journalist and purveyor of strict dogma with the Jacobin faction of the French Revolution“a moving testimony to what can be achieved when an artist’s political convictions are directly manifested in his work". – creating a secular martyr in pursuit of the Revolutions goals.Helps establish David’s preeminence as artist/visual spokesman for the Revolution

7. Baudelaire, wrote in 1846: "The drama is here, vivid in its pitiful horror. 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. This painting is as cruel as nature but it has the fragrance of ideals. Where is the ugliness that hallowed Death erased so quickly with the tip of his wing? Now Marat can challenge Apollo. He has been kissed by the loving lips of Death and he rests in the peace of his metamorphosis. This work contains something both poignant and tender; a soul is flying in the cold air of this room, on these cold walls, around this cold funerary tub."