Liberty Leading the People (French: La Liberté guidant le peuple) is an oil painting by French painter Eugène Delacroix. It was painted in 1830 to celebrate the abdication of King Charles X after the July Revolution
.
In the painting, a woman representing Liberty bears the French tricolor as she leads an armed citizenry (including a man in a top hat and a suit, a working-class revolutionary, and a pistol-bearing young boy) to victory.
Tropes in this painting:
- Atop a Mountain of Corpses: The personification of Liberty stands atop a floor of corpses as she leads the French people.
- Anthropomorphic Personification: Liberty is personified as a strong woman bearing the French tricolor flag.
- Bow and Sword in Accord: Implied by the leftmost man, who is wielding a sword and carrying a gun in his belt.
- Character Action Title
- Child Soldiers: A young boy dual-wielding pistols is part of the revolution.
- Full-Frontal Assault: Downplayed. Liberty's dress is torn from fighting in a war, and so, it has left her topless but not entirely naked.
- Guns Akimbo: The young boy to Liberty's side is dual-wielding pistols.
- Hat of Authority: The rich man with the blunderbuss is wearing a fancy top hat to show his status.
- Nations as People: The woman in the painting representing Liberty is also conflated with Marianne, the contemporary personification of France.
- Nipple and Dimed: Famous for Liberty's dress being torn, exposing her breasts.
- Primary-Color Champion: Liberty is positioned as a heroic paragon. She is clothed in a yellow dress and a red cap and bears the red, blue, and white French flag.
- Protagonist Title: The Anthropomorphic Personification of freedom is The Protagonist and the focal point of the painting's composition.
- La Résistance: The woman in the painting leads an armed citizenry to victory against the oppressive, absolutist French government.
- The Revolution Will Not Be Vilified: The painting presents the revolution as a glorious and positive force, as the citizens are fighting for their rights and liberty against an oppressive and stingy government (evidenced by the dead soldier who lies in the foreground).
- Rule of Symbolism: Both rich and poor are seen charging behind Liberty, suggesting that it is a struggle that crosses class lines. The young boy beside her symbolizes the youth.
