Jacques-Louis David’s place in art history rests on the large-scale history paintings through which he captured the unfolding dramas of the French Revolution. He was also a meticulous draughtsman, setting down his ideas on paper and working through numerous revisions to his compositions before transferring them to canvas; these preparatory drawings have remained largely hidden from view, but they are now the focal point of this display the Met in New York (17 February–15 May), which begins with early sketches David made as a student in Rome, and also places preparatory sketches alongside the masterpieces on canvas they became. Find out more from the Met’s website.
Preview below | View Apollo’s Art Diary here
The Death of Socrates (c. 1786), Jacques-Louis David. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
The Death of Socrates (1787), Jacques-Louis David. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
Paris and Helen (1786), Jacques-Louis David. J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles
Paris and Helen (c. 1786–87), Jacques-Louis David
Unlimited access from just $16 every 3 months
Subscribe to get unlimited and exclusive access to the top art stories, interviews and exhibition reviews.
![Masterpiece [Re]discovery 2022. Photo: Ben Fisher Photography, courtesy of Masterpiece London](http://zephr.apollo-magazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/MPL2022_4263.jpg)
Are the art market’s problems being blown out of proportion?