Before the French Revolution artistic themes were commonly associated with political theories and the male body. They represented classic Roman virtues such as the civic trait of self-sacrifice, suppression of emotion, devotion to public duty, honesty and austerity. A classic example is Jacques-Louis David's Neo-classical history painting, The Oath of the Horatii 1769. In this image the Horatii pledge their willingness to die for Rome, to put the interests of Rome over their own lives, and …showed first 75 words of 500 total…

…showed last 75 words of 500 total…exclusion of women from political and social scene. Note Solomon-Godeau citing Alex Potts, "the ideal male body takes over the whole panorama of ideal self-hood in a radically short circuited economy of identity and desire. He needs no female supplement..." The social order of France represented in the world of painting prior to the revolution was deeply and intrinsically male. The notion of the 'feminization' of masculinity in post-revolutionary France served to perpetuate female subordination.