#ch4_lpld

[lepeintre-louis-david]

                                       Chapter 4: The Marat

Here begins David’s political career. An epoch of feverish momentum which, despite its short duration of twenty-two months, exercised such a considerable influence over the artist's entire life, and whose terrible repercussions, nearly a century later, persists in harming his just fame.

Thus newly elected, he entered the Convention with the representatives of the most progressive opinion. He sat on the benches of the Mountain; yet his political adversaries separated him from those of his colleagues who were already marked by too sinister a reputation.

A generous ardor, an honoring of Athens, of Sparta and of Rome, the hope of reviving their republican splendors as he tried to renew their artistic splendors, urged him to join in the struggle; but in the combats which were fought in the name of liberty, he knew how to deal only with that which came within his art, and, apart from a few violent exclamations, left to the eloquence of others the task of conquering the political and social reforms of which they had made themselves the champions.

The Assembly, moreover, from its first sittings, had placed him in this direction by appointing him, on October 2, to the Committee of Public Instruction, then, on the 18th, to member of the Arts Commission which he had come to reform.

It is to obey this feeling of generosity that we have already pointed out that David, on October 26, 1792, spoke for the first time. He claimed, for the towns of Lille and Thionville, which had repulsed the attacks of the Austrians, the honor of a national award:

Citizens. On the 8th of this month, Citizen Gossuin presented you with the following decree:

The National Convention declares that the city of Lille serves the fatherland well; the Convention applauds the civility and bravery of the inhabitants and of the garrison. A three-colored banner will be donated to the municipality of Lille, bearing the inscription:

A LA VILLE DE LILLE, LA RÉPUBLIQUE RECONNAISSANTE.

A provisional indemnity of two millions will be granted from the proceeds of the sale of  émigré property.

This draft decree has been deferred and sent back to your united committees for war, diplomacy, finance and relief. However glorious may be the banner and the inscription that Citizen Gossuin proposed to you to award to the inhabitants of the city of Lille, you have no doubt thought that this monument is too perishable to prove to posterity and to the universe the feelings of recognition and admiration of the Republic for the courage, disinterestedness, heroism, and the generous patriotism of the brave and intrepid citizens of the city of Lille.

I therefore propose to erect in this town, as well as in that of Thionville, a large monument, either a pyramid or an obelisk in French granite from the quarries of Réthel, Cherbourg or those of the former province of Brittany.

I ask that, following the example of the Egyptians and other Ancients, these two monuments be erected in granite, as the most durable stone, which will carry to posterity the memory of the glory with which the inhabitants of Lille as well as those are covered. from Thionville.

I also ask that the debris of the marble coming from the pedestals of the statues destroyed in Paris (note: statues of former kings), as well as the bronze also coming from each of these five statues, be used in the ornaments of these two monuments, so that the most remote posterity learns that the two first monuments raised by the new Republic were built with the luxurious debris of the last five French despots.

I believe that you will think, like me, that it is a testimony of the equity of the National Convention, as of the glory of all French republicans, that the names of each of the inhabitants of the city of Lille and Thionville, who there died defending their homes, be inscribed on said monuments.

I suggest that Félix Wimpfen and other officers, soldiers or inhabitants, either of Thionville or of Lille, who distinguished themselves the most during these two sieges, receive a wall crown upon these monuments until such time as their names may be inscribed after their deaths.

I also propose that, in the manner of the Ancients, the National Convention add to the name of these two cities an epithet which will characterize the glory that their defenders have acquired; and in order to give each individual of any sex, any age, a permanent symbol of these two sieges, I suggest that you strike a bronze medal, with a different highlight for Lille and for Thionville, in order to distribute these medals to each individual living in these two cities. This medal will also be made with bronze from the five destroyed statues.

I observe that it will be expressly forbidden to use this medal for use as an exterior decoration (i.e. to wear it as jewellery or for the sake of vanity).

I desire that my proposal to strike medals take place for all the glorious or happy events already having happened, and those which will yet happen to the Republic, and that in imitation of the Greeks and Romans who, by their metal symbols, not only gave us the knowledge of remarkable events, or of great men, but also that of the progress of their arts.

As our French artists were the first to engage in the outbursts of the Revolution, and as several of them neglected their peaceful occupations to abandon themselves to all that the support of the public good could require, and that many of them among them preferred, by going to the frontiers, the glory of the Republic to their particular glory, the National Convention can, it seems to me, give them a testimony of gratitude, neither more glorious nor more satisfactory than by employing , in the name of the entire Republic, these same artists, to bring its glory and satisfaction to the entire universe and to pass it on to posterity.

Allow me to observe that it is to a fire that the city of London owes the width, the beauty and the regularity of a large part of its streets, as also the convenience of its sidewalks; Would it not be as convenient as it would be advantageous to have a general plan drawn up in Lille, as well as in Thionville, before taking care of the reconstruction of destroyed buildings or the restoration of damaged ones?

It is in this general plan that we would include the most suitable premises of a public place, to erect in these two towns the granite monuments that I have proposed.

I will sum up by asking to appoint commissioners to examine my proposals with their ammendments, in order to report them to the National Convention as soon as possible. These commissioners will be able to come to an agreement with the Committees to which you have referred Citizen Gossuin's draft decree. "