La France Libératrice 1859

François-Nicolas Chifflart created this print called ‘La France Libératrice’, or ‘France Liberated’, using etching. The image presents France as a nation poised for rebirth. It’s difficult to date this artwork precisely, but the image likely makes reference to France after the Franco-Prussian War, which ended in 1871. The drummer boy, a figure of youthful energy, stands upon what appears to be a barricade, looking towards a brighter future. In the sky above him, allegorical figures with crowns and laurel wreaths suggest the rewards of victory and liberty. The city below the barricade is probably Paris. At this time, the city was undergoing a period of reconstruction following the war, alongside deep social divisions and political upheaval. How might this image have commented on the mood of France at that time? To understand the social conditions that shaped this artwork, we might investigate popular political imagery in France from this period, and the different artistic responses to the events of the Franco-Prussian War.