Which neoclassical painting by Jacques-Louis David shows the three Horatii brothers swearing an oath?

Jacques-Louis David's *Oath of the Horatii* shows three Roman brothers pledging themselves to their father and their country.

David painted the large oil-on-canvas work in 1784–1785, and it quickly became one of the defining paintings of neoclassicism. The scene comes from the Roman legend of the Horatii and Curiatii, recorded by Livy and elaborated by Dionysius of Halicarnassus. Rome and Alba Longa agree to settle their conflict through combat between three brothers from each city.

David invented the precise oath-taking moment. The Horatii stand rigidly at the left, reaching toward three swords held by their father in the center. On the right, women and children grieve, creating a deliberate contrast between public duty and private suffering. The composition's clear geometry, severe gestures, antique architecture, and moral seriousness reflect neoclassical ideals.

The painting is often confused with David's *The Death of Socrates* or *The Sabine Women*, which also use classical subjects. It is also important not to treat the scene as a literal historical record: the Roman story is legendary, and the oath shown in the painting is David's dramatic invention.