Inauguration de la statue equestre de Louis XV 1766

Gabriel de Saint-Aubin created this print of the Inauguration of the Equestrian Statue of Louis XV sometime in the mid-18th century. Observe how the city of Paris is personified as a crowned woman. She rests her hand on the shoulder of the river Seine, a robust, bearded man, guiding his gaze towards the equestrian statue of Louis XV. This pairing of a female city and a male river god is a motif that stretches back to antiquity; we find similar pairings in Roman coins and Renaissance fountains, embodying the life-giving force and prosperity of the location. The female figure of the city as the guardian of civilization. Consider how collective memory shapes these symbols. The river god embodies the subconscious flow of history, while the city signifies conscious human endeavor. Their interplay reflects the ongoing dialogue between nature and culture, a dance of symbols re-enacted through time. The emotions this image elicits is a sense of civic pride and continuity. It is a desire for stability and the reassurance of tradition.