Liberty Leading the People

This artwork by Eugène Delacroix has many people throughout the painting, the main focal point is a woman in her dress only being supported by one shoulder, with her chest exposed, and her pure white dress illuminating her from the dark background. Standing on top of some rubble wielding a musket rifle pointed in the air with her right hand and her left hand raising a flag which have sharp diagonal straight lines that has the colours red, white and blue as well. She is looking to her left, behind her, at three men following her and a boy on her left, ahead of her, wielding two pistols. It also uses jagged lines in the foreground to show off the rubble underneath the woman and for the people within the photo there is also a lot of curved lines around the arms and legs. To the right of the lady is two soldiers that appear to be dead on the ground, one is fully clothed with his stomach facing up and the other one is laying on his stomach while wearing a silver chest peace. The background of the photo is predominantly muted with various straight-lined buildings in the background. The background also has a smoky cloud behind all the people, clouding the background out. The painting is using oil paints applied to a flat surface, with varied brush stroked across the painting, it has variants of colour with Hue, Value and Saturation all throughout the photo.

The meaning of the photo is that the people, regardless of social class or background, should unite to free themselves to fight and continue to fight for democracy and freedom, being led by Marianne. Marianne is the woman in the middle of the painting, she is the personification of the people and, sometimes, the republic. Marriane was one of the most common names in the 18th century, she is also wearing a Phrygian cap, this cap was worn by emancipated slaves in Greece and Rome and popular among sailors and galley slaves in the Mediterranean region, was proudly used by revolutionaries from the south of France as a symbol of freedom. The men following her are from all different social classes based on their outfits, with one appearing to be a wealthy businessman and another being some kind of soldier, but as well as the child on her left dual wielding pistol, the child can symbolize the eagerness of the revolutionaries, armed with his two pistols and being in the lead signifying that he is ready to sacrifice everything for freedom. He can also represent the future of the nation, him being a child embodies the next generation, suggesting that the revolution isn’t just in this present moment, but about what France can become. There are also many bodies on both sides of the painting, one of a man on the left side of the painting, in a white shirt dead on the ground with his shirt stained red from what is assumed to be blood, and then two well-dressed soldiers dead on the right side of the painting dead on the ground. Eugène Delacroix was not a revolutionary like the ones he depicted in the painting, but he advocated for liberalism and was struck by a feeling of patriotism and pride as he observed his fellow citizens fighting. Some people might interpret this as a what I’ve stated, or some might also be critics of violence with all the destruction and dead bodies in the picture and that revolutions can destroy lives and innocence.

This painting is primarily accessed by buying a ticket in advance to be allowed into the museum, on all days of the week except Tuesday, in the Louvre museum in Paris, France. However it was created on October 21, 1830. It is within a public institution that was established and is overseen by the French government since 1874. Everyone can enter the Louvre museum if they have a ticket and go through airport like security (to make sure people aren’t going to try and destroy any of the artwork inside the museum). However, if you don’t have the funds to make the trip to the Louvre museum you can view the photos online one the official website. It is ironic that the people must pay to see what the photo despite its original meaning considering it’s concept is that the people should act. Liberty Leading the People is not an accidental it is a planned piece of art meant to inspire people to fight for their rights and stand against liberty or die trying.