Now to start without not knowing absolutely nothing about this painting, the first thing I noticed was the bearded man gesturing his finger up in the air like he’s making a statement. He is sitting in the middle of this bed. He seems strong and confident. He’s in this white sheet draped around him. He is in fact, the brightest figure in this painting, a huge contrast to the people around him. This man is different from all the other people who look distraught, he must be the protagonist of this story. I had to question myself, who are these people? What are they thinking about? What are they feeling? What’s the story being told? With some research I got to gather some interesting facts and understand the anecdote behind this piece.
This painting is the death of Socrates, the was about 399 BCE. Oil on canvas, 51" x 77 1/4". It was completed in 1787 by the French Neoclassical painter Jacques-Louis David born in 1748. He was as one of the most important political painter in that time. According to the title the painting depicts the Death of Socrates. Socrates was an ancient Greek philosopher
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They were not being used to restrain him. No one was restraining him or forcing him to drink the poison. He is willfully reaching out for the cup. Everyone in the room was crying except for Socrates. The man handing the poison to Socrates cannot even bear to look at Socrates’ face. The man is looking the opposite direction. His hand is covering his eyes. He almost looks ashamed to be handing Socrates the poison. Still Socrates looks so fearless. Socrates is standing up for the ground he loves and the people he cares for. He is standing up for his ideas. He doesn’t think he did anything wrong. Socrates is willing to take this punishment with honor and make a statement. The hemlock is in that cup. He will take a drink, and that will be be his death he doesn’t fear. He is honorable. He is teaching to the end and preaching to the