The feeling of another person should never be imposed upon us as a law Essay Example

of individuals." (Block 3, 2003, p104) The general will, according to Rousseau, poses certain concerns. He advocates for voting as the most effective method to ensure individual voices are heard. Nonetheless, Rousseau also contends that there exists only one correct solution to any given problem. In a larger state, it is likely that conflicting opinions may arise among its people.

If the situation arises, Rousseau believes there will be a reason to force individuals to adopt the general will (Block 3, 2003, p133). However, Friedrich's quote states that the feelings of others should not be imposed on us as a law (Casper David Friedrich, in Block 3, p.194), which contradicts Rousseau's ideas in his Social Contract. In my opinion, Rousseau's ideas are inconsistent with Friedrich's statement as he veers towards totalitarianism after initially appearing to agree with Friedrich.

In this essay, I will analyze three of Jacques-Louis David's paintings to determine whether David would have agreed with Friedrich's statement. The painting The Oath of the Horatii depicts three groups of figures. On the left side, there are three soldiers known as the Horatii, who reach for swords in the center of the painting. The man in the center holds these swords. At the right side of the painting, there is a group of three women and two children displaying exhaustion in their faces and poses.

In this painting, the most eye-catching colors are the red shawls draped over the man in the center and the glimmering silver of the three swords he is grasping. These elements instantly capture the viewer's attention, intentionally emphasizing the man's significance as he anoints them. Interestingly, the perspective lines converge towards the

base of his left wrist, which holds the swords. Based on this painting, I believe that David would have disagreed with Friedrich's quote.

This artwork is situated in the oppressive society of Ancient Rome, which lacked freedom of speech. The painting carries a strong political message and conveys a sense of seriousness through its subject matter. It depicts three soldiers, who are swearing an oath on swords, weapons used for killing. In contrast to Friedrich's views expressed in his statement, I do not believe that these perspectives align. In The Death of Socrates painting, there are figures present both in the foreground (ten) and the background (three).

To the right of the painting, a group of five men are gathered closely together, displaying signs of fear and anguish. As we move towards the center, Socrates is depicted seated on a bed, passionately gesturing upwards with his left hand as he reaches for a cup with his other hand. Adjacent to him, positioned slightly lower, sits Plato.

A distressed man grips Socrates' thigh. To the left of Socrates, another man faces away from him but extends his arm, holding a cup, while his other hand covers his face. Situated further left on a stone at the end of the bed is a calm man who lowers his head and closes his eyes. Directly behind him is another distressed man under the archway, with three other men in the background. The lines of perspective converge above the head of the man sitting at the end of the bed.

The dominant color in the painting is red, worn by the man holding the cup. The significance of this is that the

cup contains hemlock, the substance that Socrates will drink, thus symbolizing death. Another significant color is white on Socrates, symbolizing his innocence despite his crimes. There is a source of light positioned high up on the left, casting its glow over the men and illuminating Socrates.

The highlighted areas in this painting are mainly the forehead, upper arm, and torso. The artwork portrays the final moments of Socrates before his death. Socrates was put on trial, found guilty, and ultimately sentenced to drink hemlock. He is accompanied by Plato and his disciples in his prison cell. The chosen narrative moment by David holds significance as it represents the struggle of France under a monarchy, yearning to break free and establish a republic.

In 1787, during France's time, the Assembly of Notables was established, reflecting David's frustration. The painting chosen provides evidence of David agreeing with Friedrich's statement. Another selected painting by David is The Death of Marat, which portrays Marat lying in a bath, leaning his body towards us while holding a note in his left hand and a quill in the other. A clean knife wound can be seen below his collarbone.

The knife lies on the ground beside him, visible to onlookers. The dominant hue in the artwork is the white of Marat's body. The dark backdrop serves to highlight him further. Illumination streams in from the top right, bathing the sheets on which he lies and also illuminating his face, shoulders, and some of his arms. David portrays Marat as a hero by placing him in beams of light and removing his unattractive skin condition. David, a supporter of Marat, intends for viewers to envision

a hero.

In summary, this painting is purposefully made for propaganda. It is believed that David wants to manipulate people's feelings by presenting an inaccurate image. As a result, this painting does not support Friedrich's statement. After considering The Oath of the Horatii, The Death of Socrates, and The Death of Marat, I found that two of them strongly contradict Friedrich's statement.