I love the symbols of Paris and France - LOVE THEM. (Oui, I know that may see odd, and quite frankly, I am going to need the rest of you to bump up your "weird factor" - it's hard carrying the weight alone!) I jest, I jest...
Since P'Niche began, we've loved sharing many of France's historical symbols - from royalty to République. We began with the Galois rooster. We've explored the royal fleur de lys noting that Paris can never be sunk (Fluctuat Nec Mergitur) We've learned about the Revolutionary Phrygian Cap and le Tricolore.
That brings us today's (and the 2024 Olympiad) emblem, Marianne. Let's take a P'Niche peek to learn more...
Our Marianne is the personification of France and the French Republic.
She displays the values established during the French Revolution... Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité.
That's "Liberty, Equality, Fraternity" to the rest of us. More on this French motto soon, so we hope you will subscribe to join us back here in the Parisian Niche.
In fact, before Marianne was the living characterization of France, she was in fact - Libertas.
Libertas (her name stemming from the Latin "libertas" or Freedom) was the Roman goddess of freedom and liberty.
Libertas was (and is) most often displayed wearing the Phrygian Cap which we remind you was a cap (usually colored red), dating back to ye olde Roman times, when the former enslaved population donned the cap as a visible sign of their newfound freedom.
When not wearing the cap, Libertas often held a "liberty pole," which was meant to display freedom from Julius Caesar's reign after his assassination by his own senators. "Et tu Brutus?!" In times that followed, the pole was often replaced by a torch - we see you Statue of Liberty, et, merci la France!
Jumping forward in time to The French Revolution...
Without a monarchy to represent them (or be the face of the new republic's currency) the French adapted Libertas as part of their "rebranding."
This Liberty still wore the Phrygian cap, but now we see it adorned with the cockade - a gathering of ribbons in the countries new blue, white, and red color representation - white (for the King - go figure) and blue and red to represent Paris.
She often carried and axe as well - guess this was foreshadowing of the Terror to come? Gulp!
Why the name Marianne, though? P'Nicher, you ask the best questions!
While we cannot be 100% certain, it does seem to stem from a song composed by Guillaume Lavabre, the first to sing of "The Healing of Marianne." Still a very Christian country, the name was thought to be an amalgamation of the very popular names of the times, Marie (Jesus' mother) and Anne (Jesus' grandmother). And the moniker stuck from that point on...
Of course the face of Marianne changed over times (and French Republics).
With Emperor Napoléon in place, the First (Revolutionary) Republic was dissolved in 1804 and Marianne returned to symbolizing "only" freedom. Best immortalized in "Liberty Leading the People" by Eugène Delacroix, she symbolizes not the French Revolution, rather, the July Revolution of 1830. While there is no artistic regulation depicting Marianne, this is likely the first image that comes to mind when you her the name.
As we approach France's Second Republic (formed in 1848 and lasting ever so briefly to 1852), Marianne returned to her portrayal of the trinity of the time: Liberty, the Republic, and the Revolution.
The new government declared that “the image of liberty should replace everywhere the images of corruption and shame…” The status of Marianne as a symbol of the State was restored and now she represented Liberty, the Republic, and the Revolution.
But, not so fast. With the empowerment of Napoléon III, Marianne took a back seat - again. Fall down seven times, get up eight. With Napoléon III falling out of power in 1871, guess who's back? Marianne is back - and this time to stay - embodying the strength of France and her Republic, now in her 5th state of la République.
These days, where you look around in Paris (and France in general) you are bound to see a postage stamp, poster, bust, painting or some artistic rendering of Marianne. Her profile is imposed on France's official national seal and is engraved on the Euro coin.
P'Niche's personal fave is the Monument à la République at Place de la République. Created by Charles and Léopold Morice, Marianne is depicted strong and poised, raising an olive branch in her right hand and resting her left hand on a tablet, on which is engraved les Droits de l'Homme (the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen.) She is surrounded by three statues, representing liberty, equality, and fraternity, respectively. You can visit her by getting of at the République métro station - served by Lines, 3, 5, 8, 9 and 11. Worth the visit!
Marianne embodies the unending strength of a woman and the values of both the French Republic and her people.
Liberty, Equality, Fraternity.
Mother, Nurse, Protector, Revolutionary.
La France...
So, P'Nicher what does Marianne represent to you? Have you seen any great representations or are you now on a treasure hunt to do so? Let us know in the comments below et à bientôt!
Chrissy, merci for a fabulous explanation of Marianne's origin and all her faces through the years. I specifically chose the name for one of my characters, a girl born to a French woman and an Australian soldier during WWI, specifically because of the name's association as the symbol of France at a time when the country was in peril.
Merci Chrissy! I find it ironic that La France chose a woman, Marianne, to represent liberty during a time when women were not equal citizens. What's up with that? Women won the right to vote in 1944, and voted for the first time in 1945. Finally, Marianne could vote!
Excellent article Chrissy! Delacroix's painting remains my favorite of all time, and I believe it symbolizes who/what Marianne is.