French artist Jacques-Louis David (1748-1825), whose work favored moral and political meaning, is remembered as a key innovator of the Neoclassical style. His Oath of the Horatii (1784) is one such example, as the history painting uses a scene from the past to reflect on contemporary politics. The titular oath refers to a story from Roman legend, where the Horatii brothers agree to fight for their home city while the women of the family grieve their potential loss. Created on the eve of the French Revolution, the painting not only encourages loyalty to the state, but also highlights the doctrine of separate spheres, a societal norm that dictated gendered activity (men in the public and women in the home). The strong lines and muted colors of the Neoclassical style further reinforce the painting’s didactic message, emphasizing narrative understanding over painterly effects.

Learn more about the work that inspired this pin HERE.