Borëd | Artist Spotlight | Jacques-Louis David

Jacques-Louis David was a Virgo born on August 30th, 1748 in Paris. He began his life in the upper echelons of society, unknowing to the dramatic events that will soon unfold. At the age of nine, his father was killed in a duel and he was abandoned by his mother, who left him to live with his uncles. Fortunately, he was under great guidance and received a well rounded education.

At school David kept his head in his sketchbook and did not partake in much of a social life. Perhaps this was because of the facial disfiguration that affected his speech and made it difficult to eat. Cruel classmates coined the term “David of the Tumor.” Perhaps it is no wonder he turned to his pad and pencil for an outlet.

David's uncles sent him to train under a distantly related french artist but was soon sent off to another painter more in tune with his style. Upon building a solid foundation, David went to attend the Royal Academy determined to win the coveted Prix de Rome. He entered the contest four years in a row, but never won. Until his fifth year, at last, succeed in winning the prestigious prize.

David then traveled to Italy where he studied and expanded his network of connections. More importantly, he filled twelve sketchbooks with drawings of antiquities, ancient statues and classical buildings, sketches which he would continue to return to throughout his career.

After returning to Paris he was elected as a member of the Royal Academy. King Louis

XVIII discovered David after walking through the academy and seeing two of his paintings. Following such great recognition David gained over fifty students and worked with royalty such as Napoleon Bonaparte. One prestigious work commissioned by Napoleon himself was The Coronation of Napoleon in Notre Dame. Once finished Napoleon stared at it for over an hour before saying, “David, I salute you.”

After the fall of the Napoleonic regime he was offered his job back as painter for King Louis XVIII, but David refused. He moved to Brussels where he would live out the rest of his life teaching and painting.

One of David's finest pieces, The Death of Marat, inspired one of our earlier designs- Dying of Boredom.

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