Homage to the Second Legislature - Jean Baptiste Lucien

A detailed Neoclassical engraving depicting an allegorical relief from the 1790 Fête de la Fédération in Paris.

This print depicts a sculptural relief designed for the Triumphal Arch at the Champ de Mars, created to commemorate the Fête de la Fédération in Paris on 14 July 1790. The composition adheres to the rigid, balanced principles of Neoclassicism, drawing heavily upon the visual language of Roman antiquity. The scene is organised as a processional frieze, featuring allegorical figures that represent the virtues and ideals of the early French Revolution. On the left, French women are shown offering their jewellery as a sacrifice to the state, a gesture intended to mirror the historical accounts of Roman matrons. Beside them, the figure of Abundance reclines, while a winged Fame sounds a trumpet, announcing the arrival of the Law. The central figure of the Law is seated upon a chariot drawn by lions, symbolising strength and authority. The chariot is flanked by armed guards, reinforcing the connection between civic order and military protection. The inscription on the chariot, 'LA LOI', identifies the central subject of this political allegory. The print is executed with precise, controlled lines characteristic of late eighteenth-century engraving techniques. The figures are rendered with a focus on anatomical accuracy and classical drapery, reflecting the period's fascination with the aesthetic of the ancient world. The horizontal orientation and the shallow depth of the composition mimic the appearance of a stone bas-relief. The text below the image provides historical context, identifying the work as the first relief placed on the arch constructed for the 1790 celebration. This piece offers a clear window into the visual propaganda and public art projects that defined the early years of the French Revolution, where classical motifs were employed to legitimise new political structures.