Jacques-Louis David: The Lictors Bring to Brutus the Bodies of His Sons: An Analysis

The French Revolution and the fall of the Bastille had occurred shortly before the the painting of this masterpeice in 1789. Naturally, the work had tremendous appeal to the populace during these turbulent political times: Brutus, the Roman Governor, had discovered his sons attempting to overthrow the government and restore the monarchy. In response, he had had them executed.

The French royal court did not want anything at the exhibition that might stir up the populace against them, and tried to ban the hanging of this piece at the Salon. The uproar was so great they were forced to give in and allow it to be exhibited. It had a great effect on the common people who flocked to see it: Brutus had defended the republic even to the detriment of his own family. The political statement was clear: the monarchy in Brutus' time reflected the monarchy during the Revolution. Neither could be allowed to continue.

The painting is composed in the neoclassical style popularised by David and his contemporaries. It shows the moment when the lictors return the corpses of Brutus’ sons to his home. This in itself was a fictitious scene, for neither Greek writer Livy nor Roman counterpart Plutarch mention it. Significantly, David had decided on this composition early in 1789, when the government believed he was still considering (less political) subjects it had suggested. This could indicate David was aware of the political inference behind the subject matter and chose it deliberately for this reason.

The painting shows a brightly-lit group of females, grief-stricken at the appearance of the bodies on the left of the picture. They are posed in traditional gestures of grief and horror. The women are Brutus’ wife and two daughters, plus a servant (seated, her head covered). Brutus himself sits on the left in the foreground, sunk in shadows, refusing to turn and observe the bodies or his wife's pain. The light is on the the females and the legs of the executed son carried on a bier. This light and the woman's outstretched hand serve to draw our attention to him; her hand is at the same height as his feet. Brutus' feet, crossed in an almost Christ-like pose, are also in sunlight. This highlights Brutus' sacrifice for the greater good.

Brutus sits beneath a statue of Rome away from his family and segregated by shadow; his political allegiance appears to take precedence here. He does not look around at the bodies but faces outwards, his arm raised in the traditional gesture of an orator demanding attention: Brutus commands us to take note of his actions and how he puts Rome before all else.

The palette is varied and the colours vivid, the figures lifelike. The horizon line is around the same height as the heads of Brutus and his daughters, giving balance to the scene, whilst the vanishing point is fixed on the grouped women. The balance of light and shade makes this a mobile, busy scene with much to look at. The balance of horizontal lines is echoed by the vertical separation of the central column. Brutus is firmly in one half of the picture with his dead sons, whilst his innocent wife and daughters are highlighted alone in the other half. This associates Brutus and his actions with the corpses, and cuts him off from the surviving members of his family.