The Tennis Court Oath
from 1790 until 1792
Jacques-Louis David attempted to immortalize the French Revolution's ultimate power move with this massive sketch of the Tennis Court Oath. He envisioned the 1789 political standoff as a heroic spectacle, populating the scene with rippling muscles and dramatic gestures that look more like a superhero lineup than a parliamentary meeting. However, the project was doomed from the start; as the Revolution turned violent and figures in the sketch became enemies or faced the guillotine, David realized celebrating them was politically dangerous and abandoned the masterpiece.
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