Mort du député Alphonse Baudin le 3 décembre 1851 1902

Jean-Paul Laurens, born in 1838, painted this scene of political turmoil. The canvas is murky, but the scene is clear. It's an urban revolt and a man is dying. He's fallen against the barricade. You know, I can imagine Laurens working with the browns and blacks here, how he would have carefully considered which areas should be darker than others to give it a somber tone. The red, white and blue sash stand out, but the overall effect makes it hard to discern hope. Painting something like this is a gutsy move. It makes me think of Delacroix’s Liberty Leading the People, but darker, more introspective, less romantic. The painter is making history painting, sure, but he’s also making a statement, one that resonates beyond the immediate subject matter, asking us to consider what it means to witness a moment of crisis, and what our role might be in it. We're all in this together, wrestling with ideas, pushing boundaries, making our mark on the world.