I want to work in a pure Greek style. I feed my eyes on antique statues, I even have the intention of imitating some of them. The Greeks had no scruples about copying a composition, a gesture, a type that had already been accepted and used. They put all their attention and all their art on perfecting an idea that had been already conceived. They thought, and they were right, that in the arts the way in which an idea is rendered, and the manner in which it is expressed, is much more important than the idea itself. To give a body and a perfect form to one's thought, this--and only this--is to be an artist.
Many of his paintings depicted political events throughout history, such as Oath of the Horatii and Coronation of Napoleon. He believed it would instill patriotism in the public. His paintings portray a contrast between men and women, where men are strong, courageous, and athletic and women are weak and soft bodied and full of emotion. In my paintings, I think I'd like to take advantage of those soft, round characteristics of women and use it as a force of empowerment. Emotions are what drives us to be passionate about politics and patriotism, in my opinion.
