This monographic study of 18th-century French painter Jacques-Louis David provides an introduction to the role he played in reviving historical painting in Europe. Having spent time in prison and as an exile in Brussels, David was a politically active and passionate artist who established a connection between art and politics rare in pre-20th-century art. This overview of his life and work offers a unique perspective on the various phases of his political commitment and the interaction of the ideological, political, and stylistic motivations in his masterpieces.