Cité de l'Histoire: lecture on Jacques-Louis David on November 25, 2025

On Tuesday, November 25 at 7 p.m., historian David Chanteranne invites you to the Cité de l'Histoire for a new lecture entitled “Jacques-Louis David, Emperor of Painters.”

The evening will be devoted to the career of painter Jacques-Louis David, a close associate of Napoleon I and a prominent figure of the 19th century.

Jacques-Louis David was not only Napoleon I's painter. He is first and foremost considered and recognized as one of the leaders of Neoclassical art. An artistic movement that advocates sobriety, rigor, and moral values, in reaction to the Rococo style, which was considered too frivolous. Among his most famous works are “The Oath of the Horatii,” “The Death of Socrates,” “The Death of Marat,” and, of course, “The Coronation of Napoleon,” a monumental painting depicting the coronation of Napoleon and Josephine at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris.

Jacques-Louis David was also an important political figure. A supporter of the French Revolution and friend of Robespierre, he was imprisoned shortly after Robespierre's death. He then became the official painter to Emperor Napoleon I and retained his influence on the political scene. Upon Napoleon's death, Jacques-Louis David went into exile in Brussels and painted his last work, entitled “Mars Disarmed by Venus and the Graces,” before passing away in 1825.

 David Chanteranne is a historian and art historian specializing in the Napoleonic era. A graduate of Paris-Sorbonne University, he is editor-in-chief of several historical journals and curator of the Napoleon Museum in Brienne-le-Château. Author of some forty books on Napoleon, art, and heritage history, he shares a lively and accessible approach to the past.

Practical information:
Tuesday, November 25, 2025, at 7 p.m.
Cité de l'Histoire
1 parvis de La Défense – 92400 Puteaux
Starting at €5.99