La lame et le pinceau

This autumn, while a major retrospective celebrates Jacques-Louis David, this staged reading immerses us in the life of an artist swept up in the currents of History, both participant and director of the Revolution.

Famous for works like The Assassination of Marat and The Coronation of Napoleon, David is less known as the organizer of revolutionary ceremonies and festivals.

Under the direction of Benjamin Lazar, an exceptional ensemble of actors and musicians (Judith Chemla, Stanislas Roquette, Arnaud Marzorati) brings to life a lesser-known portrait of David: a man imprisoned at the end of the Terror, reflecting on his memories on the eve of his trial.

Youthful companions and imagined figures mingle with the shadows of Andromache, Charlotte Corday, Brutus, Marat, Olympe de Gouges, André Chénier, and Robespierre, appearing in the mirror in which David sees himself. On this night of Thermidor 1794, the paintings step out of their frames, coming alive in a sparkling yet somber celebration of the painter’s memory.