Returned to lender The Met accepts temporary loans of art both for short-term exhibitions and for long-term display in its galleries.
Representative of the French People on Duty
Jacques Louis David French
Not on view
After the National Convention proclaimed France a republic in 1792, there was a strong impetus to reimagine many aspects of daily life to reflect new egalitarian principles. Clothing, which had been a key means to distinguish social class and privilege before the revolution, was one area targeted for change.
In 1794 David produced a group of designs for civil, military, and judicial uniforms, a project reflecting his political clout during these years, as well as his training as a history painter. The designs are eclectic in influence, with nods to the styles of antiquity, the Middle Ages, and the Renaissance. They are also exceptionally vibrant and confident in their execution—indicative, presumably, of the artist’s enthusiasm.
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