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Kimberly Carroll (Eugene Delacroix. Liberty Leading the People, 1830. Musée du Louvre, Paris.) Liberty Leading the Women: Delacroix’s Liberty as Transitional Image One of the most iconic transformed into a true wom- overthrow of the monarchy works of revolutionary art is an of the people. Delacroix that had been reinstituted Eugene Delacroix’s Liberty introduces through her figure shortly after the first French Leading the People, a paint- a level of specificity that Revolution of 1789 – 99. It ing from 1830 that depicts transcends her traditional debuted in the Paris Salon the July Revolution of the representations as a passive, in 1831 and was met with same year (Fig 1.). The main mythological, or allegorical mixed reactions. figure of the painting is the symbol. In looking to the or- Many were horrified at the symbol of Liberty, an igins of the figure of liberty, depiction of an event in allegorical representation the role of women during the what would have been of the ideal of perfect free- revolutions, the artist’s own contemporary history in dom. Liberty is represented history, and the reappear- which a bare-breasted through the female form, a ance of this figure into our woman was painted leading traditional manner of rep- own contemporary world, the people of France. In the resentation of victory that the evolution of Delacroix’s same year of its debut, the dates back to antiquity (Fig. Liberty as an image can be painting “was censored by 2). Many components of her seen to serve as a bridge Louis-Philippe” and was appearance clearly indicate from a purely allegorical fig- “hidden from the public for that she is an allegorical rep- ure to a real woman. years” because of its con- resentation and not, in fact, Liberty Leading the troversial and emotionally a representation of an actual People is a major work that charged nature.1 woman. However, Delacroix’s in many ways announces the particular symbol of liberty Romantic era. Liberty is a continues to hold relevance scene of revolution today through her reemer- specifically from July of gence in the contemporary 1830, when a three-day up- milieu as a symbol that has, rising in Paris called for the perhaps, transcended the allegorical trope and The State, fearing further painting to be his calls to attention the insurrection, kept the contribution to his country. historical role of women in painting hidden until As he stated in a letter to his the July Revolution and 1863 when it entered the brother, “I have undertaken a the French Revolution years Luxembourg Museum, only modern subject, a barricade, prior. Her widely acknowl- to find permanent residence and although I may not have edged role as solely an in 1874 at the Louvre. fought for my country, at allegory may not be as The setting of the painting least I shall have painted clear when she is taken into is inspired by the 1830 for her.”2 Thus, Delacroix context with the rest of the revolution, where Delacroix painted a revolution that is painting and with Delacroix’s allegedly witnessed the by the people and for the specific depiction. revolution from the window people through his While Delacroix’s of his Paris apartment. The representation of a range of personal opinion of women figures in the scene are individuals who fight is not widely known, infer- identifiable by their alongside one another. ences can be made through clothing and weaponry. However, all of the figures his own personal writings. Both the fallen and fighting depicted as fighting are Eugene Delacroix records figures are dressed in men, except for the figure of several encounters he had clothes indicative of the time Liberty at the center. While with women in his journal, period, which also places these figures are meant to nearly all of whom are cast in them in various classes: represent actual people, the a flattering light. One in- from the working class, figure who leads them all is stance is his depiction of his the military class, the an allegorical representation. housekeeper, Jeanne-Marie bourgeoisie, the artisan She is a symbol of an ideal le Gouilleu, a peasant wom- class, and the aristocracy. that is greater than those an who began working for Delacroix was known to be a who fight and encapsulates him around 1834 when Dela- patriot and a lover of his precisely what they are fight- croix fell ill. In the introduc- country, and believed his ing for. By including a wom- tion of his journal, it is stated an as the main focus of his that Delacroix “admired the painting, Delacroix follows courage and integrity she an established tradition, but also implicitly 40 had shown under great Marianne is normally hardship,” and in his depicted wearing the own words, praised Phrygian cap (Fig 3.) a Jeanne-Marie for her “blind notable symbol of liberty devotion in person, she from the first French watches over my life and Revolution, as well as my time like a soldier on holding a spear in one guard.”3 It is evident through hand. One important factor his writings that Delacroix to note, however, is that admired the strength and ca- Marianne is nearly always pability of his housekeeper, depicted in traditional, Gre- going as far as characterizing co-Roman garb, occasionally her as strong and soldier-like, with her breasts uncovered. someone who capably The state of her dress varies watches over him and with the interpretation of the protects him. In many ways, artist. The most notable fea- such a view of women can (Figure 2: Unknown. Flying Nike ture of Delacroix’s Liberty is be projected onto the fig- (Victory) Sculpture, 2nd century her bare breasts, something ure of Liberty, leading the B.C.) that has led art historians to people of France through agree upon her identity as the chaotic fog and into the Marianne became the exclusively allegorical. light where liberty can be symbol of the French attained. However, in order Republic in 1792 after to tease out her role as an the New Republic was allegory, it is helpful to look formed during the French at the role of women during Revolution. To this day, she this time period and, more remains the specific symbol specifically, to the iconic of the French Republic as figure of Marianne. the goddess of liberty and reason, and as an allegorical symbol of liberty, herself. It is possible that Delacroix’s (Figure 3: Antoine-Jean Gros. Liberty is merged with her Allegorical Figure of the Repub- identity. lic (Marianne), 1794.) Marianne, herself, was a The name of Marianne “fit While she is not explicitly symbol to be worshipped the feminine-gendered depicted as a woman warrior, and her name derives from la République and suggest- she exemplifies the spirit of the combination of the ed that the Revolution had women warriors who were Virgin Mary and her given power to the lower “willing to give up love in mother, Anne.4 She evoked classes.”7 To the commoners, order to protect their the “lower classes of the Marianne represents a figure families.”9 Thus the meaning countryside, where the that empowered the lower of Marianne would vary: to Madonna-like Marianne classes through revolution. an illiterate peasant became an amalgam of the In comparison to the lower, woman, she could be a revolutionary goddesses working classes, the educat- symbol of empowerment Liberty, Reason, and ed classes and the bourgeoi- and to the bourgeois wom- Virtue.”5 However, she is sie “preferred classical and an, a symbol of strength and seen as a replacement of the masculine allegories” of prestige. To many women, religious iconography at the strength until Marianne Marianne embodied what time, introducing a secular came to symbolize France.8 they wished to attain, much France that was no longer She became popular among like the symbol of Liberty under control of the oppres- the middle classes after herself. sive monarchy or Church. 1800, and her representation While Marianne is The French Revolution and idealization varied de- normally depicted as a prompted French Republi- pending on class and artist. passive figure, a clear symbol cans to associate themselves For example, in one partic- of liberty and reason in the with the ideal of liberty, ular play entitled Marianne Republic, Delacroix’s which ultimately resulted and Dumont, the figure of Liberty is active. French in the figure of Marianne. Marianne was represented painter Antoine-Jean Gros’ The figure of Marianne thus through her depiction as a depiction of Marianne, for became a recurring image bourgeois woman who is in example, is clearly an of liberty and secularism in love with a man who is allegorical symbol (Fig 3). French art and culture, both lowlier than she. during and after the Revo- lution. She and Delacroix’s Liberty have both become the “most enduring women warriors of French iconogra- phy.”6 42 With the Phrygian cap on her a weapon that was used The final version of Liber- spear, a level atop a lector during both the French and ty, instead, shows a more bundle that is surrounded July Revolutions. This sug- serene expression that is by oak leaves, and her tunic, gests that she is a solider indicative of the serenity she evokes antiquity sur- and a woman of the people. exhibited by the statues of rounded by symbols of liber- She wears the Phrygian cap antiquity, but her new role ty and reason, as she stands much like Marianne, but she as an active fighter for the upright as if she is a sculp- is unlike the delicate cause of the French people ture.

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