What can a French painter tell us about some of the most famous moments in history?

This is the reflection proposed in this digital platform. Here, you will learn more about how Jacques-Louis David (1748-1822), an artist who took part in the French Revolution, portrayed significant events in history that he experienced on his own.

Through David's personal journey, it is possible to gain a deeper understanding of the entire revolutionary process. The artist, who began his career as a member of the Royal Academy, became a fierce revolutionary who voted for the king's execution and was friends with revolutionaries like Robespierre and Marat.

As the Revolution neared its end, older and weary, he adopted a more moderate political stance. Nevertheless, after Napoleon Bonaparte's coup, David continued his close relationship with politics by becoming the emperor's official painter. Until the end of his life, in his position as an influential artist, David enjoyed the immense privilege of choosing who and what he would immortalize in his paintings.

This material was specially created for 8th-grade History students at Colégio Santa Cruz. The idea of presenting the French Revolution through David's paintings, as well as the research and text writing, came from the Library educator, Beatriz Ruffino. The design and programming were developed by the Publishing educator, Paola Nogueira. Finally, the pedagogical application of this digital platform was created by the History teacher, Mauricio Freitas, who will be responsible for presenting all this content to you, the student, in the classroom.