David's Atelier (Paperback)

Jacques-Louis David based teaching in his studio on the study of antiquity and on imitation of the Classics. As a result, it soon became synonymous with cold, static academism. Today, this opinion still prevails: David's pupils, supposedly locked into rigid indoctrination, are seldom credited with the slightest spirit of innovation. Yet the drawings of Drouais, Hennequin, Wicar and Navez, rightly considered David's most orthodox disciples, show a clear ability to create new forms with their own personal vision of antiquity. Meanwhile, G, rard, Girodet and Gros, while continuing to demonstrate their mastery of established classical drawing styles, began taking their art in directions that led to the overturning of David's approaches and prefigured the major innovative trends of the twentieth century.