Home > AA100 The arts past and present
Question: To what degree is an understanding of historical context important in evaluating the work of Jacques-Louis David and Jean-Jacques Rousseau?
Answer: Jean-Jacques Rousseau was an eighteenth century philosopher and his material, although written years before, was used as support and to debate during the French Revolution. Jacques-Louis David was a neo-classical artist working at the time of the Revolution and was seen by many as the official artist to both the Revolution and later Napoleon. It is an interesting question when analysing a work as to how important it is and in what ways we should think as a historian. Is it merely insignificant knowledge or could it be essential to a true understanding of the work?
When we set out to interpret a work of art we have to decide how its historical background shapes its meaning by, in the case of David, political and social conditions. Of course, we have to remember at all times that art is subjective and there can never be only one true reading of it, however, we can gain a lot by simpl...(short extract)
To download the full answer, please Sign in or Register then make a payment or submit 3 of your essays.
- Subject: History
- Course: AA100
- Level: Degree
- Year: 1st
- Mark: 83%
- Words: 1268
- Date submitted: January 26, 2009
- Date written: September, 2006
- References: No
- Document type: Essay*
- Essay ID: 352
