Now, about the technique within the painting. Next to Marat lies an assignat* on top of a wooden crate. It reads, “You will give this assignat to that mother of five children whose husband died defending the fatherland.” This document is solely for the purpose of depicting Marat as a hero. If a common person were to see this, they’d think Marat was genuinely concerned about the people of France. Besides relating the painting to Christ, other religious elements are prominent as well. As you look closely at the work as a whole, you will notice how there are a lot of dark colors present. Yet when you come to the body of Marat you will notice all the white and how it seems as if there is a “halo like” glow above his head. The halo-like turban around Marat's head and also the heavenly light shining down on his angelic face both relate back to other religious works. This is very significant because it is again showing how David was attempting to portray Marat as a martyr who did not deserve to be brutally murdered in the confines of his own home
While looking at the painting, we are faced with a seemingly healths young man, so why was he in the bath in the first place? We do not see evidence of this skin disease he was said to have had at the time. Another tactic at drawing sympathy for Marat was was the old wooden crate and the dirtied white sheet with a patch aimed at pointing out the poverty which he lived. His surroundings in this portrait all represent an inglorious lifestyle; in addition, the rather dull, undecorated walls. Yet, in many reliable sources we read, “(his walls) were decorated with elegant wallpaper and decorations to beautify the interior.”
In reality, when Marat was informed about the opposition his response was, “Good, in a few days I will have them all guillotined.” Proving that the painting is in great contrast to the powerful and vengeful man he was. There are many other accounts of Marat that are contrasting to the way he is portrayed in this picture even up to moments before his death. He was known as a violent man who completely supported the executions of anyone who opposed the government. It is recorded that he said, “In order to ensure public tranquillity 200,000 heads must be cut off.” David’s bias opinion was an attempt to show the opposite of this; in Marat’s right hand is a pen which supposedly was being used to respond to a citizens needs during the moment when he was stabbed. But, Corday must have seen past his generosity, because at the trial she admitted her decision to kill him was based on his response to the opposition.
*Assignat was a type of a monetary instrument used during the time of the French Revolution, and the French Revolutionary Wars
While looking at the painting, we are faced with a seemingly healths young man, so why was he in the bath in the first place? We do not see evidence of this skin disease he was said to have had at the time. Another tactic at drawing sympathy for Marat was was the old wooden crate and the dirtied white sheet with a patch aimed at pointing out the poverty which he lived. His surroundings in this portrait all represent an inglorious lifestyle; in addition, the rather dull, undecorated walls. Yet, in many reliable sources we read, “(his walls) were decorated with elegant wallpaper and decorations to beautify the interior.”
In reality, when Marat was informed about the opposition his response was, “Good, in a few days I will have them all guillotined.” Proving that the painting is in great contrast to the powerful and vengeful man he was. There are many other accounts of Marat that are contrasting to the way he is portrayed in this picture even up to moments before his death. He was known as a violent man who completely supported the executions of anyone who opposed the government. It is recorded that he said, “In order to ensure public tranquillity 200,000 heads must be cut off.” David’s bias opinion was an attempt to show the opposite of this; in Marat’s right hand is a pen which supposedly was being used to respond to a citizens needs during the moment when he was stabbed. But, Corday must have seen past his generosity, because at the trial she admitted her decision to kill him was based on his response to the opposition.
*Assignat was a type of a monetary instrument used during the time of the French Revolution, and the French Revolutionary Wars