This seminar explores the art of Jacques-Louis David, the leading French painter of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, against the great social, intellectual, and political turmoil of his time. We will cover such topics as David's pre-Revolutionary radicalism; David's artistic and political role in the French Revolution; David and gender; and David's relationship to his followers. The first part of the course will center on discussions of primary and secondary texts and close examination of works of art, both in slides and in visits to museums in New York. In the second part we will work on conceptualizing, researching, and writing exhibition materials for the Clark Art Institute's upcoming exhibition with the Getty Museum, Jacques-Louis David: Empire to Exile. Reading knowledge of French required. Evaluation will be based on student participation in class, including oral presentations, and contribution to the exhibition project. Enrollment limit: 12. Preference given to students in the Graduate Program in the History of Art.

Hour: RAND