Marquis de Laughingette

Side tumblr to collect material on French and American Revolutionary War figures, particularly Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette. I'm neither American nor French, but have an interest in the French Revolution and French Republicanism of the late 18th century through the 19th. 

[marquisdelaughingette]

1834 engraving after Ary Scheffer, depicting Lafayette in 1789 appearing at the National Assembly. 

[nyprarchives]

This tape brand, presumably named after the Marquis de Lafayette, includes a profile drawing in the top left. 

[thephantomofthelibrary]

At a time when things American had become the rage in Paris, Lafayette’s home was an American shrine, with a cherished portrait of Washington at its altar and American flags draped conspicuously on walls and furnishings. The wall of his “American” study held a gold-lettered copy of the Declaration of Independence that Franklin’s grandson William had obtained for him. It filled but one-half of a double frame: Lafayette sad the other half awaited “the declaration of rights in France”. Even Adams’s cranky face melted into a broad smile when Lafayette pulled his guests to the Declaration - as he always did - to see the Adams and Franklin signatures as the two Americans looked on in feigned modesty.

Harlow Giles Unger, Lafayette, (2002), p.183-184 (via thephantomofthelibrary)

[marquisdelaughingette]

Yorktown commemorative cover, 1981 featuring Washington, Lafayette, Rochambeau, de Grasse and Nelson

[marquisdelaughingette]

Strobridge & Gerlach lithograph c. 1866 celebrating Washington’s Freemasonry (with guest appearance by fellow Freemason Lafayette). 

[marquisdelaughingette]

A south western view of La Grange, with bonus Lafayette. I wish I could say I thought that was Adrienne, but the clothing looks to date to around when this engraving by Alvan Fisher was printed in 1826, so is probably meant to be Anastasie, Virginie or Emilie de Tracy with one of the grandkids. One of a series of views of La Grange

[marquisdelaughingette]

Cartoon published in Judge magazine  October 19, 1895, featuring the ghosts of Steuben and Lafayette urging the USA to intervene in Cuba.  A Plea for Cuba

Shades of Lafayette and Steuben (to Columbia): - “What! Asleep with that cry for aid at your door! What would have been your fate if we had acted similarly in your hour of need?” 

[marquisdelaughingette]

Lafayette's baptism of fire by E. Percy Moran

[marquisdelaughingette]

The Right Honourable the Marquis de la Fayette, unanimouslly chosen commandant of the National Guards Published in The Massachusetts magazine, or, Monthly museum of knowledge and rational entertainment Isaiah Thomas and Ebenezer T. Andrews, vol. II, no. VIII, 1790 (August), frontispiece engraved by S. Hill.

[marquisdelaughingette]

Summer Residence of Lafayette (1882), with a close up of Gilbert and Adrienne (and hound). Library of Congress collection 

[marquisdelaughingette]

“Interview of Gen. La Fayette with his wife & daughters in the prison of Olmutz” Library of Congress collection   

[marquisdelaughingette]

Surrender of Cornwallis, woodcut print 1881

[marquisdelaughingette]

Silver bar issued in 1975 by the Columbia Mint as part of the series “Greatest Events of the American Revolution”, depicting Lafayette’s wounding at Brandywine

[marquisdelaughingette]

1895 photogravure based on a painting by A. Tholey of Washington, Lafayette and von Steuben in Valley Forge (or, I suspect, left to right it’s Lafayette, Washington and von Steuben...but they all look pretty much alike, so it doesn’t really matter). 

[marquisdelaughingette]

From Georgia's Landmarks, Memorials, and Legends: Volume 2, Part 2 by Lucien Lamar Knight, published 1914. The book describes how Nathanael Greene’s body was disinterred in 1902 through the efforts of the Rhode Island Society of the Cincinnati and moved to its current location.

[marquisdelaughingette]

From the 2015 auction catalog description: 

IMPORTANT REVOLUTIONARY WAR SILVER CUP; Gift from General Lafayette to Nathanael Greene, ca. 1780; 3 1/2" x 3 1/2", 5.1 OT; Provenance: Gift to Nathanael Greene from General Lafayette; Direct Family member of Greene, acquired by decent; Exhibitions: Telfair Museum, Savannah, GA

Estimate: $7,000 - $10,000

Sale Price: $16,250

I remember when this came on Antiques Roadshow. As soon as they started saying it was a gift to Greene I knew it was going to be a Lafayette special. Greene famously described Lafayette as “a most sweet tempered young gentleman”.  

[dixiearistocrat]

Statue to Nathaniel Greene in Greensboro, NC.

I drove down to Greensboro today and decided to stop by this statue I’ve seen it multiple times but never stopped to look at it until now. Greene was known for being one of Washington’s best officers and was most active in the Southern theater of the Revolutionary war.

@bantarleton I reckon you like stuff like this.