Valerie J(ainz University College London HISTORY. HISTORY PAIITIIG ALL) COICEPTS OF GLOIRE 1K THE LIFE AID YORK OF JACQUES-LODIS DAVID Subiiitted for the degree of Ph.D University oi London 1992 2 ABSTRACT This thesis shows how Jacques-Louis David successfully nnipulated the art of history painting so as to establish his own gloire. The works of David are evidence of the success of this artist's aspirations as they demonstrate that he understood processes of figurative invention and of communication. Yhen referring to the art of Poussin, the most eminent example of a painter as grand ho.mme in late eighteenth-century France, David did not merely copy or plagiarise motif. Qualities of open-endedness, active provocation and perpetual dynamic continue to distinguish his own history paintings. This study seeks to re-integrate recent art historical writings on theories of reception with an examination of artists' processes of production and with speculation concerning possible intention. Alongside the writers of tragedy, history painters knowingly treated the variability of history as a spur to inventions, which sought to move by presenting complex motive and problematic cause and effect. By examining the ways in which stories have been translated into different forms of art, the particular conventions and boundaries of a range of media are revealed. The first sections deal with past perceptions of history, of how it was to be written and of how it was to be depicted. David's formation as a history painter is placed within a humanist tradition that valued formulations of the grand homme and notions of gloire. Further chapters locate this artist's works within the changing 3 cultural contexts to which they belonged and of which they were a part. The study concludes with an examination of how new conditions, created by the upheavals of the Revolution, affected David and irrevocably altered the art of history painting. 4 CONTENTS List of Illustrations 5 Acknowi edgenents 11 I NTRODUCT 101 12 HISTORY AND THE HLSORY PAINTER 28 TRAINING II HIGH ART 56 INVENTION 130 DAVID AND THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE REVOLUTION 202 Footnotes 264 Bibliography 318 5 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 1 Pierre Julien, Jicolas Poussin. 1804. Sculpture, marble. Louvre, Paris. 2 Jicolas Poussin, La Mort de Germanfcus. 1627-28. 011 on canvas, 146 x 195. Institute of Arts, Minneapolis. 3 Jicolas Poussin, La Testament d'Eudamidas. c. 1655. 011 on canvas, 110.5 x 138.5. Statens Museum for Xunst, Copenhagen. 4 Jacques-Louis David, La Xort de Senegue. 1773. Oil on canvas, 123 x 160. Musée de Petit Palais, Paris. 5 Joel Hallé, La Nort de Senegue. 1750 Salon. Oil on canvas, 153 x 122. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. 6 Pierre Peyron, La Nort de Sénêgue. n.d. Etching. Bibliotheque nationals, Paris. 7 Jicolas Poussin, Les Israelites recuelilant La 1(anne dans le Desert. 1639. 011 on canvas, 147 x 200. Louvre, Paris. 8 Jacques-Louis David, Tête d'Expression: la douleur. 1773. Pastel, 53.5 x 41. Ecole nationionale superieure des Beaux-Arts, Paris. 9 Jacques-Louis David, La Douleur d'Andromaque. 1783. Oil on canvas, 275 x 203. Ecole nationals superleure des Beaux-Arts, Paris. 10 Jacques-Louis David, Study for the head of Saint ?IIchel after Guide Reni. c, 1788. Drawing, black chalk, 16 x 12. Victoria and Albert Museum, London. 11 Jacques-Louis David, La Kédecin Erisistrate découvre la cause de la iladie d'Antiochus. 1774. Oil on canvas, 120 x 155. Ecole nationale superieure des Beaux-Arts, Paris. 12 Dessein: Des Passions," Encyclopedie ou Dictionnaire Ralsonné des Sciences. des Arts et des Nétiers, Paris 1762-1772, XX, Recuell de Planches sur les sciences, les arts libéraux, et les arts mechaniques, avec leur explication, 2 Part 2, Plate 24. Fig 1: Ad.miration simple, fig 2: Adairation avec étonnement, fig 3: La vénération, fig 4: Le ravi ssement. 13 MIchel-Francois Dandré Bardon, Costume des Anclens Peuples, Paris, 1772, I, Book 5, Plate 43. Scene from a Meleager Sarcophagus above scene derived from licolas Poussin, L'Extrême Onction see Plate 51 below. 14 Xichel-François Dandré Bardon, Costume des Anclens Peuples, Paris, 1772, I, Book 6, Plate 57. Details taken from Jicolas Poussin, L. Mart de Gerninicus, see Plate 2 above. 6 15 )Uchel-Françols Dandrê Bardon, Costume des Anciens Peuples, Paris, 1772, 1, Book 6, Plate 58. Details taken from Jicolas Poussin, L. Testament d'Eudamidas, see Plate 3 above. 16 Jacques-Louis David, Scene antique. c. 1774. Drawing, black chalk, 24.3 x 28.7. Xetropolitan Kuseuin of Art, Jew York. 17 Jacques-Louis David, Study for La Douleur d'Androngjie. 1782. Drawing, black chalk, pen and black ink with grey wash, 29 x 24.6. Musée du Petit Palals, Paris. 18 Jacques-Louis David, Study for Le Serment des Horaces. c. 1784. Drawing, black chalk, pen and black Ink, 22.9 x 33.3. Xusée des Beaux-Arts, Lille. 19 Jacques-Louis David, Study for Les Lmours de PAris et Helene. c. 1786. Drawing, pen and black ink with grey wash, 21.5 x 28.1. Private Collection. 20 Jacques-Louis David, Study for Alexandre le Grand au lit de mort de Ia femme de Darius. 1779. Drawing, pen and brown Ink, grey wash, graphite, 30.3 x 42.2. Ecole nationale supérleure des Beaux-Arts, Paris. 21 Jacques-Louis David, Frise dans le genre antique: combat de deux guerrlers. 1780. Drawing, pen and black ink, grey wash with white hIghlights, 26.3 x 74.6. Xusée de Peinture et de Sculpture, Grenoble. 22 Jacques-Louis David, Frise dane le genre antique: funérailles d'un héros. 1780. Drawing, pen and black ink, grey wash with white highlights, with black chalk underdrawing, 26 x 153, E B Crocker Art Gallery, Sacramento. 23 Jacques-Louis David, BélisaIre denndant l'auithne. 1781. Oil on canvas, 288 x 312. Musée des Beaux-Arts, Lille. 24 Jacques-LouIs David, Bélisaire denndant l'aum5ne. 1784. OIl on canvas, 101 x 115. Louvre, Paris. 25 François-Andre Vincent, BAlisaire réduit & la mendicité. 1777 Salon. Oil on canvas, 98 x 129. Xusée Fabre, Xontepelier. 26 Pierre Peyron, Bélisaire recevant l'hospitallté d'un paysan gui avait servi saus lul. 1779. Oil on canvas, 93 x 132. Musée des Augustins, Toulouse. 27 Jicolas Poussin, Les Aveugles de Jérlche. 1650. Oil on canvas, 119 x 176. Louvre, Paris. 28 Jicolas Poussin, La Femine Adultêre. 1653. oil on canvas, 121 x 195. Louvre, Paris. 29 Jicolas Poussin, L'Enléveinent des Sabines. C. 1635. 011 on canvas, 159 x 206. Louvre, Paris. 7 30 Jacques-Louis David, Le Serment des Horaces. 1784. Oil on canvas, 330 x 425. Louvre, Paris. 31 Jacques-Louis David, Horace vaingueur rentrant dans Rome. 1781. Drawing, black chalk with pen and black ink, grey wash, 27.5 x 38.7. Albertina, Vienna. 32 Jacques-Louis David, Le viell Horace défandant son fils. c. 1782. Drawing, black chalk with pen and black ink, grey wash, 21.6 x 28.9. Louvre, Paris. 33 Johannes Joachim Engel, Idées sur le geste et l'action théatrale, Paris, Strasbourg, The Hague, 1788, II, facing page 42, Plate 26. 34 Johannes Joachim Engel, Idées sur le geste et l'action théatrale, Paris, Strasbourg, The Hague, 1788, II, facing page 52, Plate 27. 35 Levacher de Chamois, "Jean Baptiste Brlsard: Rôle de Vieil Horace," Costumes et .Annales des Grands Théátres de Paris, Paris 1786- 1790, 1, 5, facing page 1. 36 Jean-Michel Moreau, Couronnement de Voltaire. 1778. Engraving, 17.7 x 23.7. Louvre, Paris. 37 Jacques-Louis David, Study for Le Sennent des Horaces. c. 1784. Drawing, black chalk, 25.9 x 35.4. Louvre, Paris, 38 Noel Hallé, Study after Sci.lirus. 1769 Salon. Drawing, black and red chalk with white highlights. Private Collection. 39 Jean-Simon Berthelemy, Janlius Torguatus condamnant son file & nrt. 1785. Oil on canvas, 328 x 266. Musée des Beaux-arts, Tours. 40 Jacques-Louis David, Les Licteurs rapportent & Brutus lee corps de see fils. 1789. Oil on canvas, 323 x 422. Louvre, Paris. 41 Jacques-Louis David, Brutus assistant a l'exécution de see file. C. 1786. Drawing, black lead with pen and black ink, grey wash, 61 x 77.5. Collection Ar and Mrs Eugene V Thaw, New York. 42 Jacques-Louis David, Study for Brutus. 1787. Drawing, pen and black ink, grey wash, 32.7 x 42.1. J Paul Getty Museum, Malibu. 43 Jean-Baptiste Wicar, Brutus condaninant see fils a nort. 1788. Drawing, pen and grey wash, 30 x 62. Nusée des Beaux-Arts, Lille. 44 Jacques-Louis David, Regulus et sa fille. c. 1786. Drawing, pen and black ink, brown and grey wash with white highlights over black chalk on grey paper, 31.5 x 41.6. The Art Institute, Chicago. 45 Jacques-Louis David, Socrate au moment de prendre la cigue. 1787. Oil on canvas, 129.5 x 196.2. Metropolitan Museum of Art, Jew York. 8 46 Jean-Michel lloreau, 'Sacrate Act III, Scene 3, 'Ii est beau d'être la victise de Ia Divinité," Voltaire; Oeuvres ComplEtes, Paris 1877, IV, facing page 394. 47 Gabriel de Saint-Aubin, Study of Socrate au moment de boire la cigue after Charles-Michel--Ange Challes, Livret du Salon de 1761, p. 14, BibliothEque nationale (Cabinet des Estampes), Paris. 48 Jean Gaspard Lavater, La Physiognonie ou l'Art de Connaitre les Hommes d'apres les traits de leur physiononile, Paris, n.d., Plate 25. 49 Jacques-Louis David, Les Amours de Paris et HElEne. 1788. Oil on canvas, 147 x 180. Louvre, Paris. 50 Jicolas Poussin, Le Sacrement d'Ordination. 164?. Oil on canvas, 117 x 178.