Monthly Discussion Point: The Festival of the Supreme Being

[trf-chan.livejournal.com]

Since the idea of a monthly discussion point seemed fairly popular, I thought I'd get us started off here.

This month's discussion point is the Festival of the Supreme Being (Fête de l'Être suprême, for all the lucky dogs who understand French)

This seems to be a bit of a contentious issue in some circles, and it happened in June, so it seemed like a good place to begin. ;) Just...er...as the name would imply, discuss. XD; The main discussion will be confined to this post, but if you have something else to share that is based around the current topic (ie: a review of a book that specializes on it, screencaps of it being represented in a movie, etc.), you're free to make your own post.

Comments

[kurotoshi.livejournal.com]

Seriously? It makes me laugh really hard - like WOW. It the craziest hookiest thing ever, and frankly, I would of given an arm and a leg to attend!

[estellacat.livejournal.com]

I agree with Mathiez that it was the natural culmination of a series of festivals that had been going on throughout the Revolution and thus that the whole "Festival of Reason vs. Festival of the Supreme Being" thing that people seem so fixated on is a false dichotomy.

Other than that, I don't really have that much to say on the subject... Oh, except that the portrayal in LRF was completely off according to all primary sources--the people liked the Festival--it was only a few bitter and/or hard-line atheistic deputies who didn't...

And one more thing (just to clear this up once and for all): Robespierre did not wear any kind of robe or dress to the Festival; he wore his official deputy's uniform--like EVERYONE ELSE. Srsly. >___

[almostlifesized.livejournal.com]

"Robespierre did not wear any kind of robe or dress to the Festival" - Seriously? But the americans on the telly said so!

That's actually quite disapointing. Damn documentaries.

I wish I knew more about this, as to be able to discuss properly instead of bemoaning lack of togas. Oh well.

[maelicia.livejournal.com]

While you're bringing this up: I am dying to know whoever started with the "Robespierre in a robe/dress/toga" legend. You mentionned documentaries?

[estellacat.livejournal.com]

Don't believe Americans on televisions--they're wrong at least 99% of the time.

[jonahmama.livejournal.com]

Actually, I think this is a really interesting topic from a political strategy perspective.

I think it was an enormous tactical error on Robespierre's part to officiate. I also think this was one of those cases where the road to hell is paved with good intentions. I am sure the Festival seemed like a really good idea at the time, but somebody should have told Robespierre that given the internal strife about religious issues, the idea of an essentially state-sponsored religious event would be a PR disaster. Of course the people who attended enjoyed themselves, but there were plenty of people in Paris and the Provinces whose anti-Jacobin rhetoric got a big boost, not to mention the raised eyebrows from abroad. And to have Robespierre officiate only made him appear as if he really was trying to be the dictator certain elements were trying to paint him as. The lesson is, it's not only important to DO the right thing, you have to LOOK LIKE you're doing the right thing. PR matters. Camille knew it, but he just wasn't around to say it.

The real question is, why a man of Robespierre's astoundingly keen sense of the political landscape and ability to think strategically, would have made such a colossal error in judgement. Certainly he was making mistakes one after another during this time from a political standpoint, but this was a big one and a forseeable/preventable one. One also has to wonder why Saint-Just, who could often see the political situation as sharply as a master chessplayer sees a chessboard, did not prevent this massive misstep on his colleagues' part.

To highlight what I am talking about in terms of political strategic thinking, consider for instance Robespierre's decision to ask the Convention for a week's time to prepare his response to the Girondin attack in the Fall of 1792. Anyone with less political insight would have mounted an indignant defense on the spot and thought any delay would hand a victory to the Gironde. But Robespierre accurately saw that in fact the delay would permit him to mobilize his power base and respond with a calm, calculated, powerful attack instead of appearing to be running scared, while the illusion of a temporary victory would actually lull the Gironde into a false sense of security. It was a completely counter-intuitive, yet brilliant strategic move that shows off Robespierre's ability to think about public reaction and political consequences rather than shoot from the hip.

[lucilla-1789.livejournal.com]

It somehow seems, that many parties tried to push their personal religious/philosphical ideology to be sort of state religion, when they got hold of the needed pover, even that everyone at least pretented to favor the separation of religion and the Republic. Like hebertists building their antique temples in the middle of Notre Dame and so on.

I red somewhere that Robespierre wore an outfit that was inspired by Goethe's "Werther" for the occation.

Also, it's interesting, that David designed the decoration, statues and such for the fête. He was atheist after all, so I'd like to know what he was thinking then. But he always needed idols to look up to, and was pretty fanatical about Robespierre at that point.

Yes, political strategy...not a very good move. The fête wasn't popular in the rationalist wing, nor with christians. A lot of people thought, that the fête made Robespierre look like a dictator.

[maelicia.livejournal.com]

In order to support what estellacat said a bit above on Robespierre's clothing during the Fête de l'Être Suprême, I would like to post this image, representing Robespierre, setting fire to the statue of Atheism and revealing the one of Wisdom -- though the text written on the image doesn't say quite the same thing and says "Truth" instead of "Wisdom".



It's a pretty image, isn't it? ^___^

I hope it shows, and won't be F-locked or something, like some of my pictures. Tell me if you see the red X of dewm instead or if you do see the pic. :/

[bettylabamba.livejournal.com]

And one more thing (just to clear this up once and for all): Robespierre did not wear any kind of robe or dress to the Festival; he wore his official deputy's uniform--like EVERYONE ELSE. Srsly. >___

I've never ever read that he wore a robe to the Festival until today. However, I have read about historians bitching about what exact shade of blue his jacket was.

maelicia, I can see your picture fine. Where did you find it? I have the b&w Buffenoir fan version.

[maelicia.livejournal.com]

I've read about the shade of blue -- I've also read about how they made an obsession with explaining how he arrived with the costume he wore on the FdlES on 9 thermidor. It seems to annoy them, somehow. They can be such bitches loving to waste time, rly. -_-

I've found it through a very long google image search of "Robespierre" a year ago, I believe. And since that counts 13 800 results, that may be tough to tell where, exactly, I had found it. XD

[bettylabamba.livejournal.com]

I've read about the shade of blue -- I've also read about how they made an obsession with explaining how he arrived with the costume he wore on the FdlES on 9 thermidor. It seems to annoy them, somehow. They can be such bitches loving to waste time, rly. -_-

After they're done bitching about that, I bet they start the "boxers or briefs?" argument.

[maelicia.livejournal.com]

...and they drool over the concept of Saint-Just cross-dressing, because you know, "he had these extraordinarily and surhumanly booootiful feminine features". -_-;

[bettylabamba.livejournal.com]

Oh mah lord, learn-id men fantasizing about S-J crossdressing? That I have not yet come across, though I did hear about Tallyrand's collection of ladies' dresses in his closet.

[maelicia.livejournal.com]

They're not too far from actually writing about it, you know. Some authors just hate him so much, it's to wonder if they're not the reincarnations of a girl (or a guy) S-J dumped/refused the flirting of back in year II. >.>

Ah-ha! Found it.

[maelicia.livejournal.com]

I've restricted the search to Robespierre and Être Suprême and I've found again the site on which you can find the colour version (http://revolution.1789.free.fr/page-9.htm). :D

Re: Ah-ha! Found it.

[bettylabamba.livejournal.com]

Oh, that is so sweet. Thanks so much.

I keep checking google image search every month or so because I'm crazy to see what new pops up.

I found this guy (http://www.flickr.com/photos/derami/305318892/in/set-72157594410129395/) on flickr.

Re: Ah-ha! Found it.

[maelicia.livejournal.com]

Ooooh, pretty. He looks so real on that bust...