The Life and Art of Jacques-Louis David Born in Paris, France, on August 30, 1748, Jacques-Louis David emerged during a period of profound political and aesthetic transformation. He became the principal exponent of the late 18th-century Neoclassical style, a movement that sought to replace the decorative whimsy of the Rococo with a sense of order and moral clarity. His career was defined by an ability to navigate the most turbulent sh…