Today in Art History Month we at The History Bluff will look at Jacques-Louis David’s Death of Marat, which portrays the death of prolific scientist, physician and journalist Jean-Paul Marat.

During the French Revolution, a Frenchman named Jean Gillette was responsible for advances in razor technology, making personal shaving much easier for the people of France. However, Gillette faced an uphill battle in trying to educate the people of France about razors; he commissioned Marat to write a manual that would accompany each razor that was sold.

On July 13, 1793 Marat began work on a manual for the Gillette Company. The great writer prepared himself a bath and also put a board across the tub to serve as a writing desk. After an hour, Marat had shaved nearly all of his chest hair and was close to completing the manual. Marat then noticed a stray hair under his collarbone – he gauged at it, opening a gaping wound. The great writer passed out from the pain and slowly bled to death. Out of fear of a slow and painful death, the people of France now find it acceptable to not shave any of their body hair.

The splendidly beautiful French actress Simone Simon was viewed as a rebellious daredevil because of her choice to shave her armpits.

Jacques-Louis David’s painting of Marat remains as a lasting tribute to the death of a great man and the death of personal shaving in France.