French Revolution Painting

[Hiero]

I don't know much about art, why is the lady's breast exposed?

http://www.revolutionaryleft.com/uploads/post-32-1139174676.jpg

[Jadan ja]

Which of the French revolutions is this painting from? 1789 or 1848? I think it is revolution of 1948, but I would like this confirmed by someone.

[RedAnarchist]

I can't confirm it, but one of the revolutionaries has a sword, so it is probably not 1848, unless they still used swords then.

Breasts are (i think) a symbol of fertility, so I assume they have been exposed to show the fertility of the revolution - the promise of a new and better France.

[Ennil]

:) One of the most famous paintings in french history. I actually saw this painting in Paris, really really huge fabulous details.

The basics I know: This painting is of the 1789 revolution painted by Delacroix. The woman in the middle is Marianne, she symbolizes liberty, egality et cetera. She's leading the people, and as you can see she's in the middle of the painting, she's the most important person. She stands for the people, she shows their misery, their fight. And trala lala la la.


Why is it important that her breasts are exposed anyway? In the 18century most paintings showed breasts, because of some artistic, free reasons, I can't remember them right now.

[MiniOswald]

Who takes a top hat to a revolution?

Plus im so digging the guy on the right, doing an early matrix sorta thing with his dual pistols there.

Maybe the strap just went on her dress and thats why shes 'popped out' as it were

[ComradeOm]

Since when does art have to make sense? ;)

[Freigemachten]

Its symbolism, she is not bound by the repression of clothing. probably not the case, but she's supposed to be some sort of angelic figure, so why should she care if she's hangin out?

Also I'm pretty sure its they 1789 revolution.

[Donnie]

http://www.inventati.org/anarkids/images/imag/liberta.jpg

I think this is better pic than the original.

Stop the difference :P

I think the breast showing is just meant to dipict liberation...maybe I don't know.

[Enragé]

they (painters of that era) were emulating ancient greek statues and shit, plus this was the only acceptable way for nudity to be shown in public like anywhere.

[The Living Red]

It's a great painting. I saw it for real just last week in the Louvre, Paris.

Apparently, the guy in the top hat is the artist, Delacroix. He painted himself into the picture as a little joke.

It says in this guide book thing I have that the painting's meant to celebrate 28th July 1830, when the people rose up and dethroned the Bourbon king (whoever that was), but I can't vouch for its accuracy.

[tambourine_man]

they (painters of that era) were emulating ancient greek statues and shit, plus this was the only acceptable way for nudity to be shown in public like anywhere.

actually, delacroix belonged to the romantic movement - which was itself a reaction against the enlightenment obsession with rationalism and precision. romantic painting, therefore, was a sort of reaction against neo-classical painting (the kind that was emulating greek and roman art).
so, death, nudity, sex, murder, rape, violence - everything that excites the passions and escapes intellectual analysis - were the definitive subjects of the romantic painters...as we see here. it was a very iconoclastic movement.