Ce tableau, « Le
serment des Horaces » a été peint par un élève de
Jacques Louis David, grand peintre du XVIIIe siècle. Il mesure 223cm
de hauteur pour 145cm de largeur. Il a été donné au musée en 1863
par Monsieur Ott de Weyner.
Cette peinture ne porte
pas la signature de David, il avait pourtant l’habitude de signer
les répétitions de ses œuvres.
Cette partie du tableau
(il n’est pas en entier) nous montre le côté gauche de la
peinture originale, représentant trois jeunes Horaces prêtant
serment.
Le premier Horace est de
dos, il a dans sa main droite le "long pilum" et tend la
main gauche, la paume vers le sol.
Le deuxième Horace a la
main droite ancrée dans le dos de son frère, on a là une
symbolique de fraternité, il a la main gauche tendue vers son père
(hors scène).
David a été beaucoup
critiqué pour l’écart exagéré des jambes des trois Horaces ; il
a expliqué que cela donnait de l’élan et de la force à ses trois
guerriers, montrant leur détermination à aller combattre.
Il a peint "le
serment des Horaces " après avoir vu une pièce de théâtre où
le vieil Horace plaide en faveur de son fils, meurtrier par amour de
la patrie.
David avait 40 ans
lorsqu’il a peint ce tableau en 1784. Il est le fondateur, vers la
fin du XVIIIe siècle, du Néoclassicisme européen. Son « Serment »
a eu un très grand impact et a stimuler la ferveur révolutionnaire
de l'époque.
J’ai choisi ce tableau
car je trouve qu’il évoque très bien la force et le courage des
guerriers prêts à mourir pour leur patrie.
Photo P Mathiaux with kind permission Musée Mandet
The
Oath of the Horatii in the Musée
Mandet is a good copy of the original by Jacques Louis David, one of
the greatest 18th
century painters. It measures 223cm by 145cm. It was given to
the museum in 1863 by Ott de Weyner. This painting is not, unusually,
signed by David. It is a detail, showing us the left part of the
original painting. Three young Horatii are taking the oath.
The soldier nearest to us
holds a long pilum in his left hand, and holds out his right arm in a
salute, the palm of his hand turned towards the ground.
The soldier in the middle
is clasping his brother around the waist in a sign of brotherly
solidarity. He is giving the Roman salute with his left hand and arm.
David, criticised for the exagerated
stance of the protagonists, explained that it gave force and thrust
to his three warriors, showing their determination to fight.
David was inspired by a theatre play in
which a father pleads in favor of his son, willing to kill for his country.
David, the founder
of Neoclassicism, was fourty in
1784 when he painted his The
Oath of the Horatii.
It made a big impact on the public and encouraged revolutionary
fervour.
According
to Livy, the Horatii
were three brothers from Rome. During a war
between Rome and Alba Longa during
the reign of Tullus Hostilius (approx.
672-642 B.C.), it was agreed that settlement of the war would depend
on the outcome of a battle between the Horatii and the Curiatii. The
Curiatii were
three brothers from Alba Longa and of the same age as the Horatii.
During the battle, the three Curiatii were wounded, but two of the
Horatii were killed. The last of the Horatii, Publius, turned as if
to flee. The Curiatii chased him but, as a result of their wounds,
became separated. This enabled Horatius to slay them one by
one.
This painting shows very well the force
and the courage of the warriors, ready to die for their homeland.
That is why I have chosen it.
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