M. de Lafayette Exits the Hôtel-de-Ville with Orders to Depart for Versailles with His Troops (5 October 1789) 1789

Curator: This print by Jean François Janinet shows Marquis de Lafayette exiting the Hôtel-de-Ville on October 5, 1789, ordering his troops to Versailles. The date is key, isn’t it? Editor: It is. You immediately sense the tension, a sort of hesitant hope hangs in the air despite the looming architecture and the throng of figures. Curator: The architecture definitely speaks to established power, doesn’t it? Juxtaposed with the revolutionary fervor we see surging forward, literally pushing a cannon into place. Editor: Absolutely. And observe how Lafayette strides purposefully, yet he’s still framed by that doorway, almost symbolically stuck between worlds. I wonder, did he know he was walking a tightrope between nobility and revolution? Curator: Well, it’s an image that encapsulates that pivotal moment, a leader trying to harness chaos. One wonders about the accuracy of the scene, the artistry... Editor: Yes, a perfect question. How does one capture such a sprawling narrative in a single frame, the choices you make and the stories that will be told. It is a powerful, thought-provoking slice of history.