What was the purpose of the painting the death of marat?

The dead man in the painting, Jean-Paul Marat, was a comrade of the artist, Jacques-Louis David, during the French Revolution. Marat was a journalist and a radical who was known for rallying people for the revolt, and was ultimately murdered by Charlotte Corday, (mentioned in the note Marat is holding in the painting). Corday felt that by killing Marat, thousands of deaths in the name of the revolution could be avoided. The purpose could be interpreted as a memorial to the artist's friend as well as a political statement for the horrendous occurrences brought about from the French Revolution.