Jacques Louis David supported the French Revolution from beginning to end. He joined the Mountain, the Jacobin club, supported the constitutional monarchy and the Reign of Terror, and eventually became the court painter of General Napoleon Bonaparte. David was extremely dedicated to having a republican government, and while many people fled the country for greater opportunities around the world, David stayed behind to help abolish the old power. David, born August 30, 1748 in Paris, France, was a skilled painter during the French Revolution. He attended the College des Quatre-Nations. His father was killed in a duel when he was a boy and his mother left him with her wealthy architect uncles. They wanted to send him to a school focused on architecture, but in the end he accepted his dream of becoming a painter. While trying to pursue his dreams, he went to study with Francois Boucher. Boucher was a rococo painter, but above all a distant relative of David. Boucher, however, did not have the same artistic vision as David, especially because times were changing, so he sent him to his friend Joseph-Marie Vien. Vien was a painter who embraced the classical reaction to the Rococo. While studying with Vien, David attempted to win the Prix de Rome four times. The first three tests ended in failure, but David did not give up. Finally, in 1774, he won. David met many influential people who helped him with his art while he was in Italy. It was the chance of a lifetime to dedicate himself to something so special and close to his heart. He also painted with Raphael Mengs and Johann Joachim Winckelmann. These two artists helped him improve his artistic skills. Without their influential help, David's work probably would not have been successful... middle of paper... By the time David was released from prison with the help of his wife, France had changed immensely. David, one of Napoleon's many admirers, was able to attend Napoleon's meeting and draw it. It was 1797, and shortly afterwards he became the official court painter of the regime. He painted a portrait of Napoleon during Napoleon's coronation at Notre Dame, and while observing the event, the Pope blessed David and sat next to him. After the coronation was completed, Napoleon stared at the painted canvas for an hour and responded with the words: "David, I salute you," even though he was not entirely satisfied with David's work. David worked for Napoleon for a while, but was asked to work for King Louis XVIII when the Bourbons returned to power. He refused and said he preferred to self-exile in Brussels, where he remained until his death in December 29, 1825.