Using Jacque Louis David’s Works as Example to Study How the Graphic Documents Used as Political Propaganda in French Revolutions

Topic: Using Jacque Louis David’s works as example to study how the graphic documents used as political propaganda in French Revolutions

Introduction

During the French Revolutions from 1789 to 1799, the idea of revolution spread all over the world rapidly. It is because the media such as newspaper, woodblocks, porcelain, help to spread the revolutionary idea in a short time. Nowadays, over 60000 printed matters are conserved at the Bibliotheque historique de la Ville de Paris. Some of the graphic documents which are political propaganda ever became masterpieces which conserved in French museum like Lourve. Therefore, we can understand the media played an important role in the revolution. In my essay, I will study the works of Jacque Louis David as an example in an attempt to find out how the graphic documents used as political propaganda in French Revolutions.

The importance of graphic documents in French Revolution

The engraved image experienced a hitherto unheard of development. Artists reproduced the sequences of events, painted portraits, drew caricatures or satirical pieces that were sold on the cheap or distributed among all classes of society in such a way that the ideas taking hold and the events taking place were spread far more rapidly. Therefore, those graphic documents played an important role in spreading the revolutionary idea and other political views to the public. At that time, the paintings became the politician’s tool for promotion. Thus, some of them may not reflect the truth because of his different political views. Yet, it can show that the environment of the revolution especially the political conflicts.

Jacque Louis David

In the exhibition of French Revolution held in Hong Kong, there are many works of Jacque Louis David who played a key role in both history and art. Firstly, Jacque Louis David has actively involved in politics since 1792. For example, he supported the French Revolution and had voted to execute Louis...