visual images of some of the events that occurred. It was not just his art, but “he served the Revolution in more than an artistic capacity: he was politically involved as well.” 94 Although this may mean that his works of art can be biased towards his interests in the events, his works still show a preoccupation with the individual and battle scenes. His work often shows aspects of life that he was experiencing at the time, and had an interest in battles and the role of the hero. Warren Roberts believes that “David’s art is evidence of his attraction to the courageous, heroic, and violent.” 95 Since he had an interest in such things, his work can be seen to present heroic ideas of the time. One of David’s pain tings which clearly shows an example of wartime heroism, is Napoleon Crossing the Alps (1801). Which features Napoleon Bonaparte on horseback. Napoleon and the horse are central in the image and take up most of the scene, which immediately leads the eye to them. The main focal points are the orange/red colouring of Napoleon’s clothing, the pointed arm which leads to the battle, Napoleon’s body and, the muscular physique of the white horse. Reared back on its hind legs, the horse is ready to charge towards battle and Napoleon is commanding him on, pointing to the action. Under the horse’s front hooves, in the distance, some other men can be seen. However, they are not clear and there does not seem to be any fighting occurring. The sky blends into the land and both are muted in colour, and are jagged and rough which emphasises the manliness of Napoleon and the struggle of war. The light appears to shine down on Napoleon, which insinuates his importance and focuses him in the image. It gives him a god-like quality and suggests he is a hero in the battle.
94 Ibid., p. 5 95 Ibid., p. 26
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