Oath of the Horatii
Jacques-Louis David, 1786
Three Roman brothers swear on swords — republican virtue that forged the empire.
About this work
This is the Toledo Museum of Art's version of Jacques-Louis David's Oath of the Horatii, painted in 1786. In 1784 Louis XVI commissioned from David a life-size picture of the Roman legend of the Horatii; that painting, shown at the Salon of 1785, is now in the Louvre and became one of the best-known works of Neoclassicism. Toledo's canvas, 130.2 × 166.7 cm, is a reduced replica ordered by the courtier the Comte de Vaudreuil. It is close to the original except for a distaff with spun thread near the women's feet, and David's pupil Anne-Louis Girodet reportedly helped paint it. The story, from Livy, is set in the seventh century BC: rather than go to war, Rome and Alba Longa agree that three brothers from each city will fight for the victory. The three Horatii stretch out their arms to swear an oath as their father holds up their swords, while the women of the family slump in grief, because the two families are linked by marriage and betrothal. The moment of the oath is David's own invention. The Toledo Museum bought the painting in 1950 (1950.308).
Sources: Toledo Museum of Art · Wikipedia: Oath of the Horatii
Print facts
- Native resolution
- 6,156 × 4,800 px
- Sharp at 150 ppi up to
- 41 × 32 in
- Sizes
- Small (20 × 16 in) · $100 · 300 ppi
Medium (24 × 19 in) · $150 · 253 ppi
Large (36 × 28 in) · $300 · 171 ppi - Price includes
- Frame and US shipping · 14–21 days · 30-day returns
FAQ
Where can I buy a framed print of Oath of the Horatii?
Here. Oath of the Horatii is available as a framed print in three sizes: Small (20 × 16 in) for $100, Medium (24 × 19 in) for $150 and Large (36 × 28 in) for $300. Prices include the frame and US shipping; delivery takes 14–21 days, with 30-day returns.
What size works best for Oath of the Horatii?
The file is 6,156 × 4,800 px, so every size is sharp: even Large (36 × 28 in) prints at 171 ppi. Choose Large (36 × 28 in) for a large wall; Small (20 × 16 in) suits a narrower space.
Is it legal to print Oath of the Horatii?
Yes. Oath of the Horatii is in the public domain: its copyright, if it ever had one, expired long ago. In the United States a faithful photograph of a public-domain painting does not create a new copyright (Bridgeman v. Corel, 1999), so the image can be printed and sold freely.
