Author(s):
lesueur, jean-baptiste (paris, in 1749 - plailly, in 1826), designer
other titles:
pierre louis manuel (1751-1793), prosecutor of the paris commune; jérôme pétion de villeneuve (1756-1794), mayor of paris; pierre-gaspard chaumette (1763-1794), member of the paris commune. (dummy title), jean sylvain bailly (1736-1793), mayor of paris. (dummy title), invention of the red bonet. (inscribed title (letter))
date of production: between 1792 and 1794
type(s) of object(s): drawing, graphic arts
name(s): drawing
dimensions - artwork:
height: 36cm
width: 53. 5cm
description:
set of 83 known revolutionary gouaches, including 73 preserved at the carnavalet museum. Marks, inscriptions, hallmarks:
legend - on the front of the old montage, under the left gouache, label with handwritten legend in ink: "invention of the red bonet [sic]. / in 1792. In the month of march we imagined the elegant red bonet [sic], / well-exalted patriots [sic] tore off the crown from the bust / of voltaire to replace him with this ignoble hairstyle!". Legend - on the front of the old montage, under the central gouache, label with handwritten legend in ink: "manuel. . . Petion. . . Chaumete. / pétion mayor of the commune of paris marching to the party given for the chateau-vieux suisse regiment / accompanied by manuel prosecutor of the commune and chaumète [sic] / secretary. The people were constantly shouting long live petion! and many / carried these words written on their hats off; ureur of the town and ended up being guillotined by the robespierre faction. "
legend - on the front of the old montage, under the gouache on the right, label with handwritten legend in ink: "mr. Bailli [sic] man of letters and the most learned / of france, he was of all the academies / of europe. He was the first president of / the constituent assembly at versailles. Then / the first mayor of paris. The jacobins had him put on trial. Mr de corni major de la ville accompanies him. "
inscription - on the front of the old montage, handwritten label in ink: "61st sheet" \ inscription in ink
stamp - front: "carnavalet"
iconographic description:
scene: sans-culotte, voltaire (1694-1778), portrait, bust, statue, bonnet, crown, laurel / group of figures: manuel pierre louis, prosecutor, pétion de villeneuve jérôme, mayor, chaumette pierre-gaspard, prosecutor / bailly jean sylvain, mayor, mr de corni, major of the national guard, commune, paris; french revolution. Historical commentary:
the hat is a common headgear among the people. Red, it constitutes the typical emblem of revolutionary symbolism, in reference to the sign of the freeing of slaves in antiquity. Municipal elected officials embody something new: the emergence of a counter-power emanating from “the people”. All of lesueur's gouaches preserved at the carnavalet museum constitute a unique testimony to the revolutionary period. A sort of diary in images, the technique in which it is produced, as well as its scale, suggest a public, theatrical or "museographic" function. These small paintings and - a little differently - the texts which accompany them, reflect the varied feelings, sometimes enthusiastic, sometimes reproachful, of the parisian petty bourgeoisie facing the revolutionary event and daily life. Historical scenes, more innocuous skits, or isolated characters like military figurines are captured with liveliness, accuracy of observation, sense of color and layout which give them great flavor. The undeniable documentary interest of the series is particularly clear with regard to sans-culottes, the army, women, costume; but also mentalities and their evolution in the political situation of the years 1789-1806, and this with all the more force as the gouaches were painted immediately after the event or the fact that they represent. Acquisition mode: dation
name of donor, testator, seller: bidault de l'isle, georges
date of acquisition: 17–10–1977
institution: carnavalet museum, history of paris
inventory number: d. 9093. Date: between 1792 and 1794.
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