Category: Paintings

”The Death of Socrates”

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The Death of Socrates

Artist: Jacques Louis David

Date: 1787

Medium: Oil on canvas

Dimensions: 51 x 77 1/4 in. (129.5 x 196.2 cm)

The Athenian courts executed the Greek philosopher Socrates (469–399 B.C.) for the crime of impiety: his behavior toward the gods was judged to have been irreverent, and he had exerted a corrupting influence on his young male followers. Socrates declined to renounce his beliefs and died willingly, discoursing on the immortality of the soul before drinking from the cup of poisonous hemlock. In a prison of unrelieved severity, David depicted a frieze of carefully articulated figures in antique costume acting out in the language of gesture the last moments of the moral philosopher’s life. Because, shortly before the onset of the French revolution, the painting gave expression to the principle of resisting unjust authority, it is among David’s most important works. The canvas is also his most perfect statement of the Neoclassical style.

“Thor’s Fight with the Giants”

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“Thor’s Fight with the Giants” by Mårten Eskil Winge

“Thor’s Fight with the Giants” by Mårten Eskil Winge depicts the Norse god Thor in a battle against the evil spirits called Jötnar. The thunder god is shown riding his chariot pulled by Thor’s loyal goats. He is wearing his belt of power and swinging his hammer of thunder. Thor is depicted as strong, blond, brave and fearless. The original audience of the 1870s interpreted the painting as a depiction of good battling evil.

In Germanic mythology, Thor is the hammer-wielding god associated with thunder, lightning, oak trees, the protection of humankind and fertility. This painting was created in 1872 and became popular among contemporary nationalists.

” Oath of the Horatii ”

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Oath of the Horatii

Oath of the Horatti is an oil painting produced in 1784 by French painter Jacques Louis David.

Oath of the Horatti is considered as one of the best known paintings in the Neoclassical style by Jacques Louis David.

The picture depicts a scene of a dispute between two warring cities from a Roman legend, Rome and Alba Longa stresses the importance of self-sacrifice, masculine and patriotism for one’s country. The history tell us that instead sending their armies to war the two cities agree to choose three men from their own each city, the man who won the fight will be the regarded as the victorious man and victorious city. So, three brothers from a Roman family (namely the Horatii) agreed to fight with the three brothers from a family of Alba Longa (namely the Curiatii) resulting the winner by the end of war. The three brothers of Rome, willing to sacrifice their lives are shown in the picture, saluting their father who holds their swords out for them.