This is one of the weirdest paintings in the history of art. How many times have you seen a painting of a dead guy in a bathtub? (Episodes of Dexter don’t count.) Depicted here is Marat, a true VIP in revolutionary France and David's friend. Marat dedicated himself to hunting down enemies of the Revolution. He eventually met his end when he was stabbed to death by Charlotte de Corday as a result of political retribution. As she said, "I killed one man to save 100,000". Consistent with the violence of the revolution, Charlotte was soon captured and guillotined.
The Death of Marat
oil on canvas • 162 × 128 cm
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Jacques-Louis David