M. de Lafayette Disarms the Soldiers Who Assembled on the Champs-Elysées and Escorts Them to Saint Denis (12 January 1790) 1789

Curator: Jean François Janinet created this piece, "M. de Lafayette Disarms the Soldiers Who Assembled on the Champs-Elysées and Escorts Them to Saint Denis," around 1790. Editor: My immediate impression is one of restraint. The grayscale palette creates a very somber, almost mournful mood despite the implied action. Curator: Yes, and the piece documents a pivotal moment. Lafayette, a key figure in the French Revolution, defusing a potential conflict. The image presents him as a figure of control. Editor: The forest background feels symbolic. It’s almost a looming presence, suggesting the chaotic, uncertain times and the shadow of what’s to come. Almost like a dark omen. Curator: Indeed, it speaks to the larger societal forces at play. Janinet seems to be positioning Lafayette within a very specific socio-political context. Editor: Seeing Lafayette depicted in this way, as a pacifying force, certainly invites reflection on how we choose to remember and represent historical figures. Curator: Precisely, and how such images shape our understanding of the French Revolution and its key players.