On June seventeenth, 1789, the Third Estate reformed itself as the National Assembly to address tax inequality and end the monarchy's autocratic rule.[1] They enacted the Abolition of Feudalism Act on August fourth, 1789, and the Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen on August twenty-fourth, 1789.[2] By 1791, France had established a constitutional monarchy, nationalised the Catholic Church, and set up a unicameral political system.[3] However, the monarchy resisted these changes, and the Assembly's divisive policies further split France into opposing factions.[4] Propaganda and artwork were extensively utilised throughout the Revolution. Notably, the Reign of Terror, 1793-1794 provides a representative example of how art functioned as a propaganda.

              At the heart of the revolution were the Bourgeoisie, which consisted of artists, poets, sculptors, doctors and teachers. They were highly active in creating propaganda through many mediums. An intriguing approach by artist Jacques Coissieux involved creating a playing card design. The sixteen images depict the law as aces, genius as kings, liberties as queens, and equalities as knaves. Each card reflects the objectives and alleged accomplishments of the French Revolution, including the restoration of French nationality and social equality (fig. 1).[5]

             To support the revolutionary cause, the National Convention allocated fifty million livres to the Committee of Public Safety for special expenses. Many of these funds were employed to cultivate and bolster the revolutionary spirit and public opinion, essential for sustaining the Revolution.[6] Notably, four artists occupied the benches of the National Convention, among them, the renowned artist Jacques-Louis David, who was to emerge as a leading figure producing propaganda during the Reign of Terror.[7]  By painting, drawing anti-English caricatures, and designing costumes for his Revolutionary Festivals, David seamlessly integrated his art with his political agenda to maximise the impact of revolutionary propaganda.[8]  As a steadfast ally of Jean-Paul Marat, a former physician and scientist, David supported his efforts in spreading revolutionary ideologies through Marat’s newspaper, L'Ami du Peuple [The Friend of the People], which began publication in September 1789.[9] However, on July thirteenth, 1793, the life of Jean-Paul Marat was tragically cut short by his assassination at the hands of Charlotte Corday, a devoted supporter of the Girondins.[10] Formerly united as allies within the Jacobin club, the Girondins and the Montagnards eventually found themselves in disagreement over significant issues. In April, the Girondins charged the Montagnard journalist Jean-Paul Marat with treason, bringing him to trial. This proved to be a grave miscalculation, as the court swiftly acquitted Marat, and the Convention subsequently expelled the Girondin deputies.[11] Corday, who shared the belief that Marat was accountable for the Revolution's errors and violence, killed him in his bathtub, justifying herself by stating she wished to sacrifice herself for her country.[12] After her death, the Girondin saw her as a martyr, as the Montagnards regarded Marat. Her death was produced in propaganda etchings, and is an example of how news could be reproduced quickly and economically in relaying what transpired. (fig. 2).[13]

             Marat's death was met with steadfast resolve and immediately served as a catalyst for the production of more prolific and widespread propaganda. L'Ami du Peuple was one such artwork depicting Marat crowned with stars and dressed in the colours of the revolutionaries (fig. 3).[14] Marat was seen as a hero and martyr by the Jacobins, and his death inspired his close friend David to produce one of the most iconic pieces of French Revolutionary art. The Death of Marat, 1793, Was painted in the Neo-Classical style David was renowned for (fig. 4).[15] The painting is full of symbolism, designed to present Marat as both a victim and a martyr. The dark background accentuates Marat's pale, lifeless body, drawing immediate attention to him. He is depicted holding a letter offering financial assistance to a war widow. Although no such letter was found, David may have included it to highlight Marat's empathy and commitment to the revolutionary cause and its victims.[16] The connection of the knife on the floor next to his quill, illustrates the contrasting tools of war, underscoring the notion that the pen can be as powerful as the knife. However, in Marat's tragic fate, it was the knife that ultimately proved more powerful.[17]

             As James H. Rubin stated, ‘More than any other work, The Death of Marat exemplifies the Revolutionary inseparability of artistic activity and political life’.[18] The French Revolution was a prolonged and violent conflict thoroughly documented through the use of propaganda. From festivals, pamphlets, plays, and poems to classical paintings, these works have effectively captured and preserved the complexities and horrors of the era for posterity.