Death of Marat (Blog Post 2)

Death of Marat, by Jacques-Louis David, 1793.

     Depicted here is David's friend Jean Marat, who was murdered by Charlotte Corday during the French Revolution.  However, this is much more than a heartfelt portrait of a friend.  This portrait acts as propaganda by portraying Marat as a divine Christian martyr.

     

     Due to a skin disease, Marat was forced to spend many hours taking baths, which he is doing here.  But this painting contains no evidence of disease.  Marat's skin is flawless, with a youthful face and muscular body.  Even the wound that caused his death is reduced to a small scratch on his chest, while the knife lies unobtrusively on the floor.  The viewer's eyes are instead drawn to the white quill in his hand.  The quill, combined with the money and the note on top of the table, tell the viewer that Marat was killed while giving money to the poor, highlighting his kindness and generosity.  Even the simplicity of the worn table adds to his humble image.  

     However, these details are only icing on the cake, for Marat himself is the true focus of the piece.  He appears vulnerable and helpless as his body grows limp, his head leaning on his shoulder as his arm falls to the ground.  Marat's body could be mistaken for that of Christ if this were a religious instead of secular painting.  Paintings by Fra Angelico, Rogier van der Weyden, Pontormo, Titian, Caravaggio, and Peter Paul Rubens all contain an image of Christ in a position nearly identical to that of Marat.  Additionally, Marat's elongated arm is very similar to that of Christ in Michelangelo's Pieta.

     Although Death of Marat seems like a simple portrait of the artist's friend, in reality it is an effective piece of propaganda used to portray Marat as a divine martyr.