The Emperor and the revolutionary
I arrived at 5.15pm at the Citizens and Kings exhibition at the Royal Academy and it shuts at 6pm so they were hurrying me through the rooms which rather dampened my enthusiasm although I saw a few gems. The two portraits of Napoleon, one by Ingres http://expo.interros.ru/eng/photogallery/painting/painting_22/ and the other by David, made me think how amazing it was that having got rid of the monarchy in the Revolution, France then reverted to an absolute ruler, an Emperor no less. My favourite painting there, David's Death of Marat, is on the exhibition posters: http://www.bc.edu/bc_org/avp/cas/his/CoreArt/art/resourcesb/dav_marat.jpg
Poor old Marat suffered from eczema or some such thing and used to pour vinegar frequently over his scalp to relieve the irritation. The most convenient place, therefore, to conduct his paperwork in his later life was in the bath from where he plotted revolutionary action and held meetings. Charlotte Corday sent him a note requesting a meeting in his bathroom and when she arrived, she stabbed him to death. She was sent to the guillotine a few days later.
posted by Whispering Walls at 9:00 am
6 Comments:
Thought you might want to know that David's Mort de Marat (or Mort Assassiné)has its home in the Musées royaux des Beaux Arts de Belgique in Brussels. Indeed Jacques-Louis David's family donated the painting to the Brussels's museum after the painter's death.
Voilà pour la petite histoire.
The most interesting thing about the Guillotine, of course, is that it was NOT invented by Guillotin. Nor somebody named Louis, hence it's other name of Louisette. Nor did Guillotin die under it's blade.
The Guillotine as we know it was in use in Germany and Italy for at least a century before it's adoption by the French in 1789.
There is a story that it was invented by a Scot.... but then, so was everything else.
Yes, amazing they turned to a dictator - but he was not as bad as their monarchy had been, in the end. I rather like Napoleon!
WW - nice to see that the Royal Academy is sticking to the notion that it is primarily there for those who don't have to worry about earning a living and have all day to enjoy it !
kinglear - hmm..not sure what you mean about the Scots inventing everything... I agree this is true of the telly. And Swan can justifiably lay claim to the electric lightbulb.
But what about Trevithick, long regarded as the person who should have had more credit than 'Rocket' inventor Stevenson ? I thought he was Welsh, but then 'I would say that...etc'.
Glad you're back, my dear Welsh reader: I was beginning to think you'd had a long party after the rugby.
Have been having a few days back in the homeland over 'Mother's Day'. Also seeing my sister after her new arrival - technically means she will now be getting 4 [four] cards each Mother's Day...Still now that she has a girl to go with her three boys, she may decide to call it a day. Or then again, she may not...
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