David's Oath of the Horatii

The Oath became so widely known and revered among artist and art critics that its impact dramatically changed the approach to artistic works that preceded it; The Oath became the standard for corporal expression. The Oath depicts three sturdy upright soldiers as they leave their family in preparation for war. They make their oath, their arms out stretched to their father Horatii as they commit to give their lives in defense of Rome. Standing between them and the weeping families they leave David has positioned the noble Horatii. The Oath symbolizes a call for truth among the 1780’s French, and echoes the sacrifice that the French must soon take to revolt against their own suppressive government.