I decided I would make a post of a comment I had made over the past week - Its about the painting "The Death of Marat" and at the request of Enigma4ever. This is what I wrote:




The painting represents the death of a revolutionary in France during the Reign of Terror, Jean-Paul Marat. He was the writer for a paper called "The Friend of The People" (Translated). The portrait portrays his death, at the hands of a woman. Marat was often found in a bathtub, as respite from a disease (or current speculation an allergy to gluten). The woman supposed Charlotte Corday came to see him to kill him, to save France. But as the story goes, she had a second reason. If I remember correctly she needed a written statement from Marat to help save her son during these troubling times. She sought the help of Marat, in keeping her son safe. So after he signed the paper she needed, she killed him.

In my synopsis I went into great detail about the actual artwork involved, and less about the story behind it - the brushwork, the color, composition and such - but these things are not mutually exclusive to the story. Notice the heavy color and brushwork at the top of the painting, weighing down on Marat, the pen and paper still in his hand. Notice the peaceful look on his face, and the position in which he is lying. Even the bathtub is a symbol in my mind.

I chose this painting as a visual representation of my thoughts because here is a revolutionary man, quite disabled at times, who died helping an enemy in a spurt of compassion. The tub to me, represents a cleanliness, his position reminiscent of Jesus in Michelangelo's Pieta, his face peaceful - not in pain or horror as one would expect to see on the face of a man who has been betrayed, and then murdered, after giving aid to a worried mother. He, Marat, sleeps with a clear conscience. He, Marat represents all of us who are here, doing our part to create a better world for worried mothers, and fathers, and brothers and sisters.

Be it the peaceful resistance of the Monks in Burma, to the most violent Black Bloc riot, whether it is in silence, or words, or bricks - to the Average American Patriots, Angry patriots, the Anon's, the Enigmas, the Kokeshes, Brian Beckers, Tina Richards and Cindy Sheehans - We are all coming together in the same spirit of Marat, are we not? Fighting for what is right, showing compassion in the face of betrayal.

And while we may lie awake at night, Damn it all to hell if our conscience isn't clear.