Committed to his ideals even when facing death, Socrates is portrayed with dignity and composure in this dramatic masterpiece by Neoclassic artist Jacques-Louis David (1748 – 1825). Brilliantly utilizing light and dark accents, David portrays an unjustly condemned father figure who sacrifices himself for his principles, drinking the hemlock instead of going in to exile. On the eve of the French Revolution, which he strongly supported, David unveiled this painting, which has been compared to Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel ceiling and Raphael’s Stanze, as a patriotic call to duty.

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