The Death of Marat - Masterpiece by Jacques-Louis David

In 1793, David was commissioned to create a memorial for Jean-Paul Marat after his assassination by Charlotte Corday that occurred in the same year.

Marat was a French politician, doctor, journalist, and leader of the radical faction Montagnard, he was assassinated while sitting in a medicinal bath that alleviated the symptoms of a painful skin condition.

David's painting combines these factual information with highly symbolic elements of propaganda to create an image that elevates Marat to martyrdom.

This sparse composition forces the viewer to contemplate Marat's body, which appears peacefully sprawled.

The stab wound, visible on his chest, is poorly indicated, and only glimpses of the blood-stained bath water suggest the previous violence.

Although the revolutionary government had banned religion, David created a visual analogy between Marat and images of the dead Christ.

The graceful curve of his arm refers to Pietà by Michelangelo and other scenes of the Deposition from the Cross; the white turban wrapped around his head serves as a substitute for a halo.

David's clear sympathies with Marat and his transformation of the politician into an timeless martyr made this painting highly problematic after the fall of the Jacobin government;

It was returned to David in 1795 and remained in his possession until his death.

Hidden, it was only rediscovered in the mid 19th century, when it was celebrated by the poet Charles Baudelaire.

THE PAINTING IN DETAIL

In the 20th century, David's iconic memorial to Marat was a landmark for artists involved in politics.

Edvard Munch and Pablo Picasso created versions of the painting, as did the Chinese painter Yue Minjun.

The socially conscious Brazilian artist, Vik Muniz, used David's painting as inspiration for one of his works created for the documentary Waste Land.