In The Death of Young Bara, how is the Context discussed?
The winter of 1793-1794 was hard for French revolutionaries; the complexities of the revolution began to multiply as leader Maximillian Robespierre struggled to hold on to power. However, the death of twelve-year-old Joseph Bara was interpreted as a beacon of hope that offered the revolution a new sense of dedication and unification.
Bara was too young to enlist in the revolutionary army, but was "burning to serve," according to General J.B. Desmarres, to whom Bara was an assistant at the time of his death. Desmarres reported that Bara sacrificed his life instead of turning over a pair of horses to the opposing army. Robespierre saw Bara's death as an opportunity to unite the French Revolutionaries and convinced his followers that Bara gave his life in reaction to pro-Monarchists yelling "vive le roi," to which Bara allegedly responded "Vive le République," perishing in the ensuing spat. In his own personal report of these events, Robespierre elevates the death of Bara to serve as a model of undying and almost blind support of the French Republic, glory, virtue and fatherhood.Robespierre enlisted the help of David in paying tribute to Bara's death with the intention that the painting would represent "absolute virtue, simple and modest, as it is delivered from the hands of Nature." Robespierre wanted the image reproduced in schools to motivate school children to join the Republic's forces, according to Robespierre's political contemporary Bertrand Barere.David took on the task of painting Bara, as well as Lepelletier and Marat, with the intent of drawing upon themes of suffering and pity. His painting of Bara demonstrates a commitment to displaying feelings of pride, sorrow, and pain resulting from the revolution, reflecting sentiments held by both the rebels and of David himself.
Joseph Bara Robespierre Marat French Revolution République Bertrand Barere Lepelletier French revolutionaries