\paperw19995 \margr0\margl0 \plain \fs20 \f1 This painting illustrates the legendary love between the poetess Sappho and Phaon. DavidÆs neoclassical culture is evident
in the painstaking representation of the setting and description of the objects. Moving away from the historical subjects of his earlier works, David chose in this period to depict more intimate themes that harked back to eighteenth-century tradition.
