Unashamedcatperson

History (especially the English Renaissance), assorted fandoms, writing, reading, sewing, cats, etc.

[orangesandreason]

Rest in peace, Saint-Just and Robespierre, heroes of the Republic. Through death you became immortal.

May you continue to inspire new generations with your lives and ideas.

[louisa605]

Combeferre：The man gazing at the sky

"While Combeferre was raising a wounded man, he received three bayonet thrusts through his breast; he cast one last look toward heaven, and breathed his last."

---

Obviously, this painting references the original Les Misérables—the scene of Combeferre's death.

I particularly love the colors in The Night Watch and Liberty Leading the People, so I used them as references. I also drew inspiration from "Masquerade," one of my favorite songs from The Phantom of the Opera. In the book, their deaths all feel absurd and grand, yet they end just as absurdly—even Combeferre's death is brushed over hastily. But this kind of ending, without grand fanfare, though silent, is deafening.

The highlight on Combeferre isn't based on much logic; it's simply because the Chinese translation of his name, "公白飛," contains the character for "white" (白), so I thought it suited him perfectly.

I really enjoy the sense of motion in certain famous paintings—where every figure, whether protagonist or secondary, has their own business to attend to. Though I may not have fully achieved that, I still tried my best. Combeferre is helping up a wounded soldier; the soldier on the far left intends to stop him, not knowing whether he means to save or harm the injured man. When he later realizes Combeferre is trying to help, he moves to intervene—but is killed by one of the soldiers. Beneath that soldier lies a wounded young man. Behind the soldier who kills Combeferre, Enjolras is fighting another soldier, watching his closest friend die before his eyes, while the soldier seizes the moment to stab the man behind him. An old man, seeing the soldier attack Combeferre, tries to step over Courfeyrac—who lies on the ground, trying to hold him back—but is struck from behind by another soldier with a short sword, never seeing it coming. In the background, a soldier is quietly carrying away his friend, who is part of the rebellion. There are three already dead in the painting, and two more will die in the very next moment. I particularly love this sense of absurdity and chaos.

If you like it, a like or repost would make me very happy...

[aggressivelyanalysingeverything]

posting this before i talk myself out of it. may i be cringe but free ( inspired by the ones @cheeri1yfrancis did because they were absolutely hilarious! )

[unashamedcatperson]

I’m not sure how this works, but whenever I’m in late 18th century clothes, even when it’s the most feminine, Abigail Adams, Lady Columbia, low cut gown, stays, hip pads and false rump, makeup, hair in curls like that one Marie Antoinette portrait, you get the idea, with my American flag striped sash and embroidered fichu, as soon as I put my glasses (which are admittedly Victorian style) on I look like Robespierre. I’m not sure if it’s my powdered hair or something about my face but I swear every single time 😂

Also, the loaches have names now: Camille, Lucille, and Horace. I’m about to have a whole tank full of frev fish. Interestingly, it wasn’t even me who chose those names, but my mother, who is in every way the stereotypical middle class middle aged white cat lady who by her admission hated history until she birthed a total history nerd and had to learn to like it. She’s learned quite a bit about French history lately, Revolutionary and Napoleonic (which I’m sure has been a bit of a relief after years and years of hearing about the Medieval and Renaissance periods every time we’re together), and she really likes the Desmoulins family (although her favorite is Lafayette).

Let me know if you want to hear anymore of my Mom’s frev opinions!

[insert-witty-user-name-here]

[nordleuchten]

Marquis de Lafayette 2027 Promotion Teaser

As always, the things that benefit the United States also benefit La Fayette and with several important dates coming up, both for him and the United States; we can look forward to some content in 2027.

[unashamedcatperson]

Meet Gilbert

This is Gilbert (pronounced the French way). Gilbert is a hypostomus plecostomus. I have owned Gilbert for just over a week, and he has not yet died, so I decided it was safe to introduce him. Gilbert is named after Gilbert du Motier, the Marquis de Lafayette, one of my favorite historical figures, and, notably, the first of many historical crushes (I think I was seven 😂). I also got three tetras, which were going to get medieval, frev, or amrev names before my father came by and named them Moe, Larry, and Curly, and more recently three loaches, which I am currently taking name suggestions for!

[unashamedcatperson]

To the heads of the corporation that destroyed a revolutionary battlefield in my area: May you have weariness of heart; may you be shamed and disgraced; may strife and suffering be upon you.

[catsofyore]

On this day I offer you a cute boy covered in kittens. Photo from my collection, no date/info.

[catsofyore]

A fine specimen. Photo from my collection, no date/info.

[unashamedcatperson]

Well….

The people of Reddit are freaking nasty; deleted my question and account after having it for less than twenty four hours. Remind me to never do that again.

[unashamedcatperson]

I need help finding sources

I’m writing a story right now, and I’m looking for information on Ireland in the 900s. Especially culture and day-to-day life, but really anything at this point. I can find stuff about plenty of other places during that era, and I can find stuff about Ireland during plenty of other eras. There is such a lack of information about this specific niche, and I know something has to be out there somewhere! If you know of any books (nonfiction for research purposes, of course, but if you have any fiction recs I’d love to hear them), blogs, articles, podcasts, documentaries, anything at all please let me know! If you have any suggestions about where to find aforementioned content, please let me know! Also if you’re someone who knows a lot about this subject and you think there’s any specific thing I should know or any fun facts, please share! Thank you!

[kriemhilde-in-the-castle]

No, faceless fantasy writer, people didn't normally consummate their marriages with 12 y/o little girls in medieval times. Not only was it rather rare for people to marry that young with the exception of the noble class, due to them needing it for politics, but they also weren't stupid enough to try to force a child to give birth. Morals aside, people back then knew how their bodies worked. A heir was nice but they didn't wanna sacrifise their brand new bride and political alliance for one right off the bat; most often the "wife" just lived with her husband in the new country and was raised there for a little while until she was old enough to actually do it. Or she even stayed with her family a little longer if the wedding was held by proxy. Medieval times were cruel, no doubt, but let's not make it worse than it was for the sake of dramatics.

[unashamedcatperson]

I need help finding sources

I’m writing a story right now, and I’m looking for information on Ireland in the 900s. Especially culture and day-to-day life, but really anything at this point. I can find stuff about plenty of other places during that era, and I can find stuff about Ireland during plenty of other eras. There is such a lack of information about this specific niche, and I know something has to be out there somewhere! If you know of any books (nonfiction for research purposes, of course, but if you have any fiction recs I’d love to hear them), blogs, articles, podcasts, documentaries, anything at all please let me know! If you have any suggestions about where to find aforementioned content, please let me know! Also if you’re someone who knows a lot about this subject and you think there’s any specific thing I should know or any fun facts, please share! Thank you!

[unashamedcatperson]

Plant endangered legally protected plants on sites where they want to put AI centers.

We need to start some sort of networking society to do this. Learn where they’re going to put these centers, learn what plants are illegal to dig up in our areas and where to get them, and then get planting!

[frostedmagnolias]

Dress of Empress Maria Fyodorovna

c. 1894

made in Paris, France

Hermitage Museum

[gothicacetheatrekid]

Happy Barricade Day!