In recent decades, the art and life of Jacques-Louis David have sparked a renewed surge of interest in the academic community. It is startling, however, that the often prevalent and imposing elements of architecture found in David's paintings have received little scholarly attention. This study fills a lacuna in David studies by providing a new perspective on his passionate engagement with architecture and its impact on his art. I begin by demonstrating that, following his trips to Rome early in his career, architecture became central to many of the artist's most celebrated compositions. Focusing chronologically on an approximately thirty-year period of the artist's career, I explore key paintings by David that serve as principal examples of the emphasis he placed on architecture and its ability to reaffirm, complement, intensify, and contribute layers of meaning to the central themes of his paintings. Throughout the dissertation, I identify principal architectural elements contained within these works and seek to determine their significance. David's engagement with architecture began at a young age. He was born into a family of architects and throughout his adolescence was surrounded by some of the most important thinkers, artists, and architects of the eighteenth-century. This unique upbringing and inclusion within Paris's elite cultural milieu had a tremendous impact on how David would come to understand architecture as an aesthetic vehicle capable of enhancing his works with added narrative and metaphorical meanings. The dissertation takes as its starting point an investigation into David's period as a pensionnaire at the French Academy in Rome where he became profoundly inspired by the Antique. David recorded the impact of the Roman experience on his artistic development within the pages of a dozen albums, which contain a vast number of drawings depicting the Italian landscape, ancient buildings and monuments, and antique sculpture. The Roman albums reveal the importance David placed on architecture during this period and mark the beginning of the transformative effect the medium would have on his subsequent work. David's obsession with the art and architecture of ancient Rome revealed in his Roman albums, for example, combined with his fascination for the popular vedute genre exemplified in compositions by Robert, Panini, and Piranesi, inspired him to reconsider how architecture could be used in new and significant ways in representations of historical subjects. This study investigates the multiple sources of architectural inspiration that served David throughout his career and inspired him to create a powerful architectural language. Comparisons between painting and architecture, including representations of architecture in painting, are fully explored for in the art of David, painting and architecture are not dichotomous. Rather, the two mediums are inextricably linked and together can be understood to embody the thoughts, pursuits, and passions of an epoch.

Jean-Baptiste Isabey (1767-1855) connaît une carrière exceptionnellement longue qui s’étend de la Révolution au Second Empire. Après avoir exposé ses premières œuvres au Salon de 1791, cet élève de Jacques-Louis David s’impose sur la scène artistique du Directoire comme le premier dessinateur et miniaturiste de son temps. En s'inscrivant dans un contexte favorable à la diffusion de portraits de moindre coût et de moindre format, sa réussite peu commune rend compte de l'évolution des critères de la reconnaissance artistique à la fin du XVIIIe. Elle témoigne également de la promotion du statut social de l'artiste autour de 1800. Lié aux proches du clan Bonaparte sous la Consulat, Isabey est un des portraitistes de la période les mieux introduits auprès des élites. Son habileté à exploiter des sujets qui répondent aux goûts de ses contemporains permets de mesurer l'importance des relations mondaines dans la naissance et la diffusion des réputations artistiques au tournant du XIXe siècle. Entre 1800 et 1805, Isabey est l'auteur de plusieurs grands dessins de propagande qui scandent les principales étapes de la consolidation du nouveau pouvoir. Familier de la noblesse impériale, l'artiste accumule honneurs et commandes officielles au lendemain du Sacre. Sa réputation est associée aux portraits miniatures de l’Empereur destinés à la caisse des présents diplomatiques et à quelques-unes des plus célèbres représentations officielles de Marie-Louise et du roi de Rome. Ses responsabilités sont extrêmement variées et sa production considérable : il est à la fois peintre des relations extérieures, dessinateur du cabinet et des cérémonies et décorateur en chef de l'Opéra. L'étude de ce parcours pluridisciplinaire offre un champ d'étude remarquable, qui nous fournit bien des clefs pour comprendre la carrière et le statut des artistes de cour sous l'Empire. Après Waterloo, Isabey est mis à l’écart du pouvoir en raison de ses engagements bonapartistes. L'artiste exécute alors plusieurs caricatures et portraits qui le montrent prompt à critiquer la monarchie restaurée. L'analyse des effets de la résistance au régime royaliste dans le monde des arts entre 1815 et 1820 aide à saisir le sens de son engagement dans l'opposition. La période qui s’ouvre au lendemain des Cent-Jours est également fondamentale pour comprendre le parcours artistique d'Isabey et pour apprécier la place que lui assignèrent ses contemporains dans l’art de la première partie du XIXe siècle. Son abondante production, qui se décline en miniatures sur vélin, dessins, lithographies, aquarelles et peintures à l’huile le montre soucieux de l'évolution du goût. Elle met aussi en lumière la difficulté qu'il éprouve à conserver sa réputation de portraitiste après 1820. Cette thèse fournit pour la première fois un catalogue de l’œuvre d'Isabey / Jean-Baptiste Isabey (1767-1855) had an exceptionally long career that spanned from the French Revolution until the Second French Empire. After his early works' exhibition at the Salon of 1791, this student of Jacques-Louis David rapidly became, on the art scene of the French Directory, the finest artist and miniaturist of his time. In a context that made the dissemination of low-cost and small-sized portraits easier, his unusual success reflects the change of artistic recognition criteria in the late eighteenth century. It also reflects the improvement of the social status of artists around 1800. Linked to people that were close to Bonaparte under the French Consulate, Isabey is one of the period's best introduced portraitists. His cleverness in using themes that meet his contemporaries' tastes clearly shows how important social relationships can be in the making and spreading of artistic reputations at the turn of the nineteenth century. Between 1800 and 1805, Isabey is the author of several large propaganda drawings that punctuate the main steps of the new power's consolidation. Familiar with the imperial nobility, the artist collects honours and official commissions in the wake of the Coronation. His reputation is associated with miniature portraits of the Emperor made for the fund of diplomatic presents and with some of the most famous official representations of Marie-Louise and of the King of Rome. His responsibilities are manifold and he produces a lot: he is the official painter for external relations, designer of the Cabinet, designer of Ceremonies and chief decorator of the Opera. The study of this multidisciplinary career gives many keys to a better understanding of the career and status of court artists under the Empire. After Waterloo, Isabey is sidelined because of his bonapartist commitments. At this time the artist performs several caricatures and portraits where he clearly criticizes the freshly restored monarchy. Analysing the effects of this resistance to the royalist regime in the world of arts between 1815 and 1820 helps in understanding his commitment to the opposition. The period opening in the aftermath of the Hundred Days is also fundamental to understanding Isabey's artistic career and to appreciate the place he was assigned by his contemporaries in the art of the first part of the nineteenth century. His prolific output, which comes in miniature on vellum, drawings, lithographs, watercolours and oil paintings shows his constant concern about changing tastes. It also highlights the difficulty he has to maintain his reputation as a portraitist after 1820.This thesis provides for the first time a catalogue of Isabey's works

Ce mémoire de maîtrise est consacré à un aspect peu étudié de l'art de Jacques-Louis David, c'est-à-dire l'influence caravagesque dans les œuvres de l'artiste. Les différentes périodes de la production de l'artiste sont étudiées en fonction d'identifier cette influence et la façon dont elle s'est manifestée. Cette influence est apparue à partir de la deuxième moitié du 18e siècle dans la peinture française pendant une période de réforme de l'art pictural. Jacques-Louis David n'est pas le seul artiste à s'être intéressé au caravagisme. L'intérêt pour Caravage et ses suiveurs coïncidait aussi avec un intérêt pour le naturalisme et le dessin d'après nature. Le maître de David, Joseph-Marie Vien, a joué un rôle important dans la promotion de ces deux notions. C'est lors de son premier voyage en Italie avec son maître Vien que Jacques-Louis David entra pour la première fois en contact avec le caravagisme. C'est à partir de ce moment que son oeuvre commença à se transformer alors que l'artiste s'affranchit de l'influence de la peinture rococo. Le Salon de 1781 qui suivra ce voyage sera un moment très important dans sa carrière et les œuvres qu'il y présenta étaient grandement marquées par le caravagisme, ce qui se manifeste par la couleur, la lumière et par le rendu naturaliste du corps. Le jumelage entre le naturalisme et l'idéalisme joue un rôle important dans la formation de l'esthétique davidienne. Après ce Salon, l'influence caravagesque s'exprimait de façon moins évidente dans son œuvre, mais elle était toujours présente et se manifestait plutôt par l'emprunt de motifs. Nous avons identifié cette influence jusqu'à la fin de la carrière de l'artiste. Nous voyons aussi dans ce mémoire que le rapport entre David et Caravage peut aussi être effectué par le biais d'une manifestation d'homosexualité et d'androgynie dans le travail des deux artistes. Ce mémoire n'est pas axé sur l'interprétation des œuvres, mais plutôt sur des analyses qui permettent de mettre en évidence l'influence caravagesque / This Master's Thesis deals with the influence of Caravaggio and his followers on french artist Jacques-Louis David, an aspect of his work that has not been studied much. The different periods of the artist's production are discussed in terms of identifying this influence and how it manifested itself. This influence has emerged from the second half of the 18th century in French painting during a reform period. Jacques-Louis David is not the only artist who got interested in the Caravaggesque tradition. The interest for Caravaggio and his followers coincides with an interest for naturalism and drawing from nature. David's master, Joseph-Marie Vien, played an important role in the promotion of these concepts. It is during his first trip to Italy with his master Vien that Jacques-Louis David first came into contact with Caravaggism. It is from that moment that a transformation could be observed in his work, as the artist was liberating himself from the rococo style. The 1781 Salon following his trip in Italy has been an important moment in his career and the Caravaggesque style greatly influenced the works he then presented. This influence could be observed in terms of colors, luminosity, and the naturalistic rendering of the body. The juxtaposition of naturalism and idealism played an important role in the shaping of the Davidian aesthetic. After this Salon, the influence of Caravaggism would not be has apparent in David's work, but still present, has designs and motifs were borrowed by the artist. We have identified this influence till the end of the artist's career. We also demonstrate in this thesis that the relationship between David and Caravaggio can also be established through a manifestation of homosexuality and androgyny in the work of both artists. This thesis is not based on the interpretation of the works, but rather on analyses that highlights the Caravaggesque style's influence.

Ce mémoire de maîtrise est consacré à un aspect peu étudié de l'art de Jacques-Louis David, c'est-à-dire l'influence caravagesque dans les œuvres de l'artiste. Les différentes périodes de la production de l'artiste sont étudiées en fonction d'identifier cette influence et la façon dont elle s'est manifestée. Cette influence est apparue à partir de la deuxième moitié du 18e siècle dans la peinture française pendant une période de réforme de l'art pictural. Jacques-Louis David n'est pas le seul artiste à s'être intéressé au caravagisme. L'intérêt pour Caravage et ses suiveurs coïncidait aussi avec un intérêt pour le naturalisme et le dessin d'après nature. Le maître de David, Joseph-Marie Vien, a joué un rôle important dans la promotion de ces deux notions. C'est lors de son premier voyage en Italie avec son maître Vien que Jacques-Louis David entra pour la première fois en contact avec le caravagisme. C'est à partir de ce moment que son oeuvre commença à se transformer alors que l'artiste s'affranchit de l'influence de la peinture rococo. Le Salon de 1781 qui suivra ce voyage sera un moment très important dans sa carrière et les œuvres qu'il y présenta étaient grandement marquées par le caravagisme, ce qui se manifeste par la couleur, la lumière et par le rendu naturaliste du corps. Le jumelage entre le naturalisme et l'idéalisme joue un rôle important dans la formation de l'esthétique davidienne. Après ce Salon, l'influence caravagesque s'exprimait de façon moins évidente dans son œuvre, mais elle était toujours présente et se manifestait plutôt par l'emprunt de motifs. Nous avons identifié cette influence jusqu'à la fin de la carrière de l'artiste. Nous voyons aussi dans ce mémoire que le rapport entre David et Caravage peut aussi être effectué par le biais d'une manifestation d'homosexualité et d'androgynie dans le travail des deux artistes. Ce mémoire n'est pas axé sur l'interprétation des œuvres, mais plutôt sur des analyses qui permettent de mettre en évidence l'influence caravagesque / This Master's Thesis deals with the influence of Caravaggio and his followers on french artist Jacques-Louis David, an aspect of his work that has not been studied much. The different periods of the artist's production are discussed in terms of identifying this influence and how it manifested itself. This influence has emerged from the second half of the 18th century in French painting during a reform period. Jacques-Louis David is not the only artist who got interested in the Caravaggesque tradition. The interest for Caravaggio and his followers coincides with an interest for naturalism and drawing from nature. David's master, Joseph-Marie Vien, played an important role in the promotion of these concepts. It is during his first trip to Italy with his master Vien that Jacques-Louis David first came into contact with Caravaggism. It is from that moment that a transformation could be observed in his work, as the artist was liberating himself from the rococo style. The 1781 Salon following his trip in Italy has been an important moment in his career and the Caravaggesque style greatly influenced the works he then presented. This influence could be observed in terms of colors, luminosity, and the naturalistic rendering of the body. The juxtaposition of naturalism and idealism played an important role in the shaping of the Davidian aesthetic. After this Salon, the influence of Caravaggism would not be has apparent in David's work, but still present, has designs and motifs were borrowed by the artist. We have identified this influence till the end of the artist's career. We also demonstrate in this thesis that the relationship between David and Caravaggio can also be established through a manifestation of homosexuality and androgyny in the work of both artists. This thesis is not based on the interpretation of the works, but rather on analyses that highlights the Caravaggesque style's influence.

The question of homoerotic sensibility is, in the purpose of this thesis, a matter of visual language connected to the portrayal of male bodies. By identifying this sensibility throughout the western art canon the essay seeks to understand its origins, development and function in relation to expressions of power. With the introduction of theorists such as Alois Riegl, Laura Mulvey, Abigail Solomon-Godeau and Raewyn Connell, the aim is to deconstruct homosexual masculinity. Adapting formal analysis and parts of visual semiotics, the focus lies on the visual expression of power through the homoerotic gaze, and asks what consequences it has in forming homosexual identity. Greek antiquity is home not only to the ideals that foster western art history, but is also where we find early examples of same-sex affection being portrayed in the arts. Hence classical antiquity is so important for the homoerotic: whenever the classical language of style is popular throughout history, we are sure to find homoerotic sensibility. For reasons mentioned, the main periods analyzed are the Italian Renaissance, the French Neoclassicism and then, naturally the late 20th century onwards as this is the period of gay liberation and modern homosexual identity.  By identifying classical acceptance of homosexual relations only in the form of a clear social hierarchy, we soon discover how homosexuality has appropriated the idea of binary difference within its masculinity throughout history. Accepting relationships only between erastes and eromenos, or man and ephebe, homosexuality is forced to exist only on the terms of difference of power. With classical ideals, these tendencies are recurring in the visual representation of male homosexuality, and becomes a big part of the liberation and forming of a modern identity in the late twentieth century. As a result of objectification of the male body, in combination with idealized and sexualized power, modern gay culture has in many ways embraced a destructive culture shaped by misogynist ideas of hegemonic culture, where sexual violence exists, but is not spoken of.