Neoclassicism · 1748–1825 · French

Jacques-Louis David

Across 4 works, the colors are mostly brown (46%), black (41%) and gray (11%). On average the canvases are dark, muted and warm. Signature colors, used far more here than across the collection: bistre, charcoal, dark taupe, warm black and dark umber.

Color print

The swatches covering most of these canvases, averaged over every work, dark to light.

• MG 219 bistre 16.1% of canvas
• MG 222 charcoal 14.8% of canvas
• MG 177 dark taupe 9.9% of canvas
• MG 223 soot 5.8% of canvas
• MG 220 warm black 4.7% of canvas
• MG 218 graphite 4.6% of canvas
• MG 176 taupe 4.2% of canvas
• MG 221 blue black 3.2% of canvas
• MG 217 iron 2.9% of canvas
• MG 211 dark slate 2.7% of canvas
• MG 186 dark umber 2.7% of canvas
• MG 185 dark golden umber 2.6% of canvas
• MG 168 dark amber brown 2.5% of canvas
• MG 169 dark brown 2.3% of canvas
• MG 184 umber 2.2% of canvas
• MG 175 stone 1.7% of canvas

Measurements

Lightness

0.35

Contrast

0.36

Vividness

0.023

Warmth

+0.99

Complexity

129 cells

Hue range

0.37

Focus

0.20

Composition

Averaged over 4 works: 58% of the visual weight in the right half, 62% in the lower half; symmetry 0.24; 45% calm space; half of the detail in 23% of the canvas. Measured from each image, not a rule the painters followed.

Works

• The Oath of the Horatii, 1784
• The Death of Socrates, 1787
• The Death of Marat, 1793
• The Coronation of Gabo Napoleon, 1807