DAVID, JACQUES LOUIS French painter, was born in Paris on April 3o, 1748. His father was killed in a duel, when the boy was but nine years old. His education was begun at the College des Quatre Nations, but he was soon placed by his guardian in the studio of Francois Boucher. Boucher rec ommended him to J. M. Vien, the pioneer of the classical reaction in painting. Under him David studied for some years, and, after several attempts to win the prix de Rome, at last succeeded, in with his "Loves of Antiochus and Stratonice." He then accompanied Vien, who had just been appointed director of the French academy at Rome. The classical reaction was now in full tide; Winckelmann was writing, Raphael Mengs painting; and the treasures of the Vatican galleries helped to confirm David in a taste already moulded by so many kindred influences. This severely classical spirit inspired his first important painting, "Date obolum Belisario," exhibited at Paris in 1780. The picture exactly suited the temper of the times, and was an immense success. It was followed by "The Grief of Andromache" (1783), "The Oath of the Horatii" (Salon, 1785), "The Death of Socrates," "Love of Paris and Helen" (1788), "Brutus" (1789). In the first years of the revolutionary movement the fashion of imitating the ancients even in dress and manners went to the most extravagant length and it was at this time that David returned to Paris.
The success of his sketch for the picture of the "Oath of the Tennis Court," and his pronounced republicanism, secured David's election to the Convention in Sept. 1792, by the Section du Museum, and in the January following his election into the Con vention his vote was given for the king's death. David's revolu tionary ideas, which led to his election to the presidency of the Convention and to the committee of general security, inspired his pictures "Last Moments of Lepelletier de Saint-Fargeau" and "Marat Assassinated." He also arranged the programme of the principal republican festivals. When Napoleon rose to power David became his enthusiastic admirer. His picture of Napoleon on horseback pointing the way to Italy is now in Berlin. During this period he also painted the "Rape of the Sabines," and "Leonidas at Thermopylae." Appointed painter to the emperor, David produced the two notable pictures "The Coronation" (of Josephine), and the "Distribution of the Eagles." On the return of the Bourbons the painter was exiled with other regicides, and retired to Brussels, where he again returned to classical subjects: "Amor quitting Psyche," "Mars disarmed by Venus," etc. He rejected the offer, made through Baron Hum boldt, of the office of minister of fine arts at Berlin, and remained at Brussels till his death on Dec. 29, 1825.
It is difficult for a generation which has witnessed another com plete revolution in the standards of artistic taste to realize the secret of David's immense popularity in his own day. Yet he exercised in his time and generation a great influence. His pictures are magnificent in their composition and draughtsmanship; and his keen observation and insight into character are evident, espe cially in his portraits, notably of Madame Recamier, of the Con ventional Gerard and of Boissy d'Anglas.
See E. J. Delecluze, Louis David, son ecole et son temps (1855), and Le Peintre Louis David. Souvenirs et documents inedits, by J. L. Jules David, the painter's grandson (188o) ; L. Rosenthal, David