Who were Marianne and Germania? What was the importance of way in which they were portrayed?
Marianne and Germania were the female allegories of France and German nations respectively.
Significance/importance of portraying Female Figures
The female allegories stood as personifications of the ‘Republic’ and ‘Liberty’. They were portrayed such that would instill a sense of nationality in the citizens of these countries.
In France Marianne’s characteristics were drawn from those of Liberty and the Republic—the red cap, the tricolour, the cockade. Statues of Marianne were erected in public squares to remind the public of national symbol of unity. Germania wears a crown of oak leaves which stands for heroism.
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