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Jacques-Louis David painted "The Death of Socrates" in 1787, shortly before the French Revolution that he, along with many of his friends, had been advocating. Socrates was famously condemned in 399 BC by the authorities in Athens for corrupting the youth and for his disbelief in the Greek Gods. His use of elenchos, the dialectical method of questioning that would become known as Socratic, had greatly annoyed the most influential citizens and he was convicted and sentenced to death. This work shows the philosopher with a cup of hemlock in one hand, still discoursing to his followers even as he is about to drink the poison. For David and his friends, the picture showed an heroic figure, unbowed by the folly of those in power, standing up for his principles even at the moment of death. The canvas was explicitly political and intended as a call to action, showing the disregard of Socrates for false judgments and illegitimate authority together with his courage in defending wisdom, which cost him his life.

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