Discuss the significance and meaning of The Oath of the Horatii by Jacques-Louis David

What will be an ideal response?

Essay responses should include these points:
• David emphasizes the message that civic responsibility must eclipse the joys of domestic life.
• David uses a Classical subject to convey a contemporary issue, the political unrest in France.
• The Oath of Horatii is considered Neoclassical, not just in its subject, but also in its composition.
• The female figures sharply contrast the attitude and strength of the male figures.
• The original Classical story relates to taking an oath to fight to the death, sacrificing oneself to save many others from entering battle.