blog painting

Kyle Hamilton

Blog 7

Liberty Leading the People by Eugène Delacroix

Argument –

WATCO following “Lady Liberty” into battle on the future of the French nation?

A -> B

If the French people are willing to follow lady liberty into battle, the French nation can become a free nation with the desired human rights of “Liberté, égalité et fraternité.”

A -> C

Following Lady Liberty into battle will put an end to the current monarchy and rule of Charles X which is keeping the country from their normal human rights.

C -> B

Getting rid of Charles X will open the position for a leader chosen by the people that will better represent the people.

Target Audience –

This painting was targeted towards the men and women in the bourgeoisie and lower social classes. These people had long been treated poorly and as second class citizens, denied certain rights that they felt they deserved. These are the people who were angry because Charles X had recently made his declarations prohibiting free press, the right to vote without a large amount of money, and many other rights.

Goal of the Piece –

The main goal of the piece is to motivate the French “lower-class” or at least the “non-royalty” to step forward and make a difference in the country. It is to invite the French to follow behind “Lady Liberty” who will lead them to their deliverance. The goal is NOT to say that the revolution will be painless, as seen by the dead bodies surrounding the Lady and her flag. I believe this is part of the goal of the piece, to convince the French to be willing to make the ultimate sacrifice – give their life – if necessary so bring this freedom to the country.

How the Argument is Made –

The argument in this painting is almost completely pathos. The first image that strikes me is the French flag held above the head of the woman. People look up to the Flag. They admire it. They want to put their country above themselves. The next element that strikes me is the fact that there are people from all different ages preparing for the fight. We see an older man on the left, a young boy on the right, and what appear to be several women among the crowd preparing for the battle. On most of their faces, they show determination and desire to accomplish their goal – especially the young boy on the right and the woman in the far left bottom. One thing that is interesting to me is the dress of the woman which can actually represent an ethos argument: having a bare chest represents being a Goddess. Liberty represented by a Goddess incites a trust and a confidence in victory.

Effective –

I believe the painting is effective (despite the fact that the painting was actually painted as a reaction to the event it is depicting). Even as an American who lives in a democracy, I want to fight for the freedom of the French people! I believe the arguments are sufficient and powerful for the audience they are aimed towards. The painting was not appreciated when it was first finished, but today it is one of the strongest symbols of French art.