Jacques-Louis David

About Jacques-Louis David

Jacques-Louis David (1748–1825) was a towering figure in French art history, whose importance is reflected in his Historical Popularity Index (HPI) rank of #859. As the leading proponent of Neoclassicism, his politically charged masterpieces, such as The Oath of the Horatii and The Death of Marat, deeply intertwined his artistic vision with the seismic shifts of the French Revolution and the subsequent Napoleonic era. His work cemented the visual language of revolutionary fervor and imperial ambition, securing his enduring influence on Western art.

In the modern digital sphere, David's historical weight contrasts with his contemporary online attention. Receiving 297K annualized Wikipedia views in 2025, his presence is moderate, resulting in an Attention Gap of approximately 1x, suggesting attention is roughly proportional to his importance. However, for context, the far more historically significant Louis XVI (#95 importance) garnered fewer than 71K views, indicating a broader under-attention to key figures of the pre-modern era, despite David's own robust ranking.

Interest in David appears stable, with a minimal year-over-year change of -0.7% and a slight 2025 momentum decline of -1% between Q1 and Q3, suggesting his current level of digital curiosity remains consistent.