In this painting, the action appears to take place outside in a courtyard, in natural but dim lighting. The bright light on the arms of the Horatii men draws the eye to their swords as they take the oath. The softer, more concentrated light on the right highlights the expressions of the crying women. The darkness behind the arches distinguishes the figures from the background.
The shadows created in this image are so impressive. Because the sun is the only light source, which is coming from the side, it lights the muscles of the men really well and creates long beautiful shadows behind them. Also, because the fighting men are closer to the source of light, they're highlighted as the focal point rather than the observers in the background.
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