I have already published a post about this painting but I know nobody saw the video. The site Smarthistory is very good and has this video about the painting.A dialog between a man and a woman goes slowly giving you a very good explanations about historical facts.
Here are some of the ideas they share:
"In 1787, just two years before the French revolution Jacques-Louis David, a very active painter in the revolution itself , presented "The Death of Socrates". Socrates, the Greek philosopher professor, is this figure in the center pointing up and was sentenced to death accused of corrupting youth's mind of Athens. Socrates urged them to think for themselves and to question everything. This is also the spirit of enlightenment. Socrates could admit that he was guilty and renounces teaching or he could die and the way he choses it is to drink kylix, that poison. Look at the emotion spectrum of his followers.... The only figure that seems to be at peace with this decision is the figure at the foot of the bed, and that would be Plato..."There is more at the video and I hope you listen to it and go to the SmartStory to check if they have something about any of your favorite painters.
