The Death of Socrates,Jacques Louis David.

Paintings always express the age they were painted in, policy and feelings of peoples. Today I am going to discuss a very interesting one for a very important artist, it is "The death of Socrates" the masterpiece of Jacques Louis David. It deserves to be studied, analyzed and seen from  a philosophical point of view. From an artistic prospective, it is a marvelous work with its bright colors and strong expressive shades. Details were very clear to the eye of anyone rather than eyes of artists and art students. Jacques Louis David drew "the death of Socrates" and finished putting his last touches on it in 1787, this was during the French revolution that witnessed the emerge of many artists with their distinguished works. David was a figure of that time who proved to be one of the most effectual artists. He was one of the artists who were very impressive in the age that witnessed the Neoclassicism movement. David's life was full of actions from many sides such as the political and social sides which we will go near and try to discuss. He was that outstanding painter, artist and philosopher." the death of Socrates " was his painting that aroused many discussions about him as an artist or a philosopher.    

          The masterpiece is a word that is called by people and critics in order to describe a work which is such distinguished, unique  and effective. This description can be given to Jacques Louis David 's masterpiece "the death of Socrates ". The amazing picture was painted during the time of the Neoclassicism movement which was featured with enthusiastic artists and vivid works that affected people politically, socially and emotionally. In fact, the painting needs to be read, translated and discussed in order to know what the artist wanted to convey and the messages that the painting carried and how it could be suitable for any age in which there are sufferings and injustice. The painting was distinguished with every thing such as light, colors, shade, signs, special style and in the way that the images were put in order to express special feelings, impressions and expressions. It is clear that the painting expressed the artist's point of view of life at his time and what he refused clearly and how he excellently conveyed this through  "the death of Socrates ".

          If we are to speak about Neoclassicism, we can say that it was a Western artistic movement which was characterized by elegant music, literature, arts, theatre and other kinds of arts. This movement was affected by both Ancient Rome and ancient Greek. It began and continued in the centuries 18^th and early 19^th. This was in some European countries. Revolution was the basic inspiration for that movement, this was clear through the works that used revolutionary ideas to tell what people felt and desired at that age. Successful revolutions always let real artists emerge and express what they suffer through the great art and the great works, this movement was a good example to this as David was one of those artists to emerge at the time of revolutions to excite people and encourage them at the same time.

          Jacques Louis David added a lot to that movement by his

works which were spectacular and impressive. The ideas of revolution were embodied in his works that represented the  neoclassic movement and the French life of that age. His birth in Paris affected him a lot as an artist as he was born in 1748 on the 30^th of August and died on the 29^th of December 1825. He had the chance to be well raised by his two uncles who raised him after his father died. He had the good chances of going to fine schools and meeting lots of artists and authors who affected him a lot. Joseph-Marie and François Boucher  were examples of such artists who affected him a lot to the extent that he was given the title of the Emperor Chief Painter one day to prove his success and his support to the French revolution with its aims and ethical principles that he really believed and expressed through his art and his works. It is important to mention that the most of all figures to affect David was Jean Jacques Rousseau who is known to be a great philosopher, thinker and writer. He had those elegant attitudes and concepts that David was affected by such as the freedom for all human. Jacques Louis David ideas of liberty were the result of such great relationship.

This oil on canvas masterpiece " The Death of Socrates" tells us about the death of Socrates who was executed as a result of his ideas, concepts and beliefs. The painting tells about how this happened and the feelings and reactions of everyone at the time of execution. The painting representing Socrates happiness while drinking the poison that he chose as a means of death. The painting is that the spiritual one that leaves deep impressions on any one who sees it. Socrates was giving a mortality lesson to his students by his acceptance to death and receiving it with pleasure. Socrates expressed himself to be that hero who accepted all the severance and serious actions with faith and patience. The painting conveyed all feelings through every tiny detail, colors and shades. Some specific areas were highlighted through using the colors in special ways. Sacrifice was the main theme of the painting as well as self denying. The artist was so intelligent and professional in telling us the whole story from his point of view and according to Plato's story who was the faithful student of Socrates. He told people how Socrates was brave and was not afraid of death and be executed by a tyrant who refused his ideas about freedom and humanity. David pictured the moment of his courage and bravery when receiving death with no fear smiling facing his fate to tell everyone to express his ideas without fear of anyone or anything. Pain was expressed through the figures of the painting and their facial expressions. Elements were used effectively such as colors that take the viewer to Socrates time, the act he chose which was a heroic one, the details of all images in the painting , lights, shadows, clothes and positions. Socrates appears in the middle of the painting in his robe which is white as his soul, poison is in his hand, smile is on his face yet it is a strange one that you are puzzled if he was sad or happy. In fact the painting is that great work that leaves deep impressions inside souls and mind, the work that arouses many questions and answers at the same time and it is the work of all ages and of all peoples who rejects tyranny and injustice and fights for principles and freedom.