Simon Schama's thesis from The Power of the Art: Jaque-Louis David said that even though David's paintings were beautiful, they were used as propaganda pieces, rather then ones that showed how life really was. Instead of painting realistically, his art pieces showed life in a glorified and heroic manner. David betrayed the truth in reality, even though the thought he was "re-educating the moral balance."
This painting, called Napoleon Crossing the Alps at Grand Saint Bernard was made in somewhere in 1800-1801. it depicts Napoleon crossing the Alps in a very clearly exaggerated manner. I believe that this painting was used as a piece of propaganda because it expands and glorifies the truth. This painting does not show the hardships that Napoleon would inevitably find crossing a mountain range, nor does it show the actual size of the Emperor. Napoleon was a very small man, yet in this picture, he is as big, if not bigger than the horse that he is riding. Also, the manner in which Napoleon is painted shows that he is ready to go on and conquer more and that everyone should follow. This painting conveys a message that David wanted people to follow, therefore making it a piece of propaganda.
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