The Oath Of The Horatii By Jacques-Louis David

Jacques-Louis David’s piece titled The Oath of the Horatii represents a time in early ancient roman history. The early Rome state was at war with a neighboring city of Alba. Instead of the cities going to war they agree to send three brothers from each side to battle with each other and resolve the conflict. The romans chose the Horatii and the city of Alba selected the Curatii family. This painting depicts the Horatii brothers taking an oath to battle to the death, their father holds aloft their swords as their wives and maidens in the background mourn of the coming days. The Horatii and the Curatii have close ties with some of their sons and daughters being married. It is believed that some of the wives in the background may be married to the Curatii that the Horatii brothers our giving an oath to kill, more the reason for mourning.

The brothers stand in a uniform line embracing and supporting each other as they take an oath to their father which symbolizes their family name. They are dressed for battle, and look to be presented as strong unfearing men. The father is facing his sons with his hands stretched upwards which symbolizes asking for a blessing from the gods. He is wearing a very royal red color of cloak, and his hair and beard are greying with age. The women look passive and sad, as if they are in mourning over war something they would have viewed as trivial. The women in the foreground are probably wives or soon to be wives of some of the brothers, and the woman in the background looks like she might be the wife of the father. She is seen shielding the children from viewing this act as if to protect them from the violence of