Jacques Louis David's Madame de Pastoret and her son.

Abstract

J ACQUES LOUIS DAVID, DURing his lifetime, was the most important painter in Europe. He lived through tumultuous upheaval and managed, though not through charm, to continually ride the waves of political change. David was born in Paris, France, in August 1748. His father was killed in a duel when David was a young boy, and his mother, wanting to provide David with an excellent education, sent him to live with his uncles, whowereprosperousarchitects.Even as a boy David knew he wanted to be an artist, which was somewhat of a disappointment to his wealthy, socially elite family. Perhaps because of this, David would make it a life-long priority to uplift the arts from mere craftsmanship to Art. He always thought an artist should be well read and in essence be a philosopher, in order to make the truest art possible. When David began his arts education, the first place his family looked for instructorswaswithin.David’s mother was a distant cousin of Francois Boucher. By the time Boucher was asked to tutor David, he had already been appointed First Painter to the king, Louis XVI. Boucher declined and sent Louis to another artist/instructor. David continuedhis educationandwassoonreceiving formal training at the Royal Academy, which was located in the formerpalaceof theLouvre.Thecompetition at the Royal Academy was great, and the highest prize for every student was the Prix de Rome. David entered the competition 4 times before finallywinning theprizeonhis fifth attempt. While 4 consecutive rejections were not unheard of, these were extremely frustrating for David and may have sown the first seeds of antiestablishment feelings within the artist. On David’s trip to Rome he was heavily influenced by the art of the Greeks and Romans. Before the trip David was painting in the rococo style, as were most of his contemporaries. This frothy, lighthearted period of David’s work is rarely highlighted, and all of the decorative work he did for homes has been destroyed. His style began to change while traveling in Italy and especially after a visit to Naples. Soon his work reflected this influence, and he developed a Neoclassicist style that became the foundation on which his fame as an artist is based. When David returned from Rome he began his career as a painter in earnest. He worked on portraits of the nobility and the upper class. Several examples of his work were shown in the Royal Academy–approved Salons. The influences of Rome on David were greater than those on his art alone. He was apparently affected by therepublicanismchampionedbythe Romans and began to express that in his larger, more public projects. The tide was beginning to turn in France as the Bastille prison in Paris was stormed (July 14, 1789) and the Revolution began. Although David had always painted those individuals whom the Revolution had now turned against, it seems that his liberal politics were well known enough to keep him away from the guillotine. Of course, David not only stayed away from the guillotine but became an active member in the government run by Maximilien Robespierre and the Jacobins in what would come to be known as the Reign of Terror. David was elected to the National Convention in 1792. His position meant thathiswas frequently theofficial signature on documents condemning to death those the Jacobins saw as enemiesof thestate,evenif someof them were his former clients. David’s position in the government meant that he often had to make speeches. As David strived to visually communicate with his audiences in the most effective way, his ability to communicate verbally declined. As a child, David was known to have had a speech impediment. In addition, while he was a student he was injured during a fencing match. The injured area developed into a “fleshy, nonmalignant tumor.” His speeches were often transcribed and handed out to the audience, which was said to have been necessary for the audience to understand what had been said. As the Revolution continued, David, the artist, also continued to work, although his clients and subjects changed. His work for the government verged on propaganda, and from his paintings to the public spectacles and parades he created, the success and influence of the Republic was always paramount. Women at this time were often used as symbols in works of art, meant to signify admirable qualities such as reason or liberty, as in our own gift from France, the Statue of Liberty. Although there are a few exceptions, women were not expected to portray themselves as politically active (though they played a major role during the Revolution). When a sitter, such as Louise de Pastoret, the woman in the image shown herein, was painted, the most important qualities that needed to be communicated to the viewer were her feminine, nurturing qualities. Madame de Pastoret was a liberal woman of the nobility and a philanthropist (although her husband was a royal supporter). It would be hard to glean any information from the portrait about Madame de Pastoret other than the fact that she is a mother, evidenced by the crib at her side. Despite the