Jacques-Louis David, The Emperor in His Study at the Tuileries, 1812, oil on canvas

Jacques-Louis David is perhaps the most famous Neoclassical painter. Classically trained at the French Royal Academy, he was known as a genius and awarded the esteemed Prix de Rome award for his painting. He became very involved in politics, joining the Jacobin Club and allying himself with Robespierre during the French Revolution, and Napoleon Bonaparte once he took power. His works sport classical themes of self-sacrifice, democracy and patriotism.