Page 19 - Delcampe Collections classiques EN-004

Stamps

One can easily see all the ambiguity holds a triangle in his right hand and his
between the waffling French who were left hand is resting on a sheaf (or bale
seemingly waiting to see which deci- of hay?) ; to the left, a putto (no wings
sion would benefit their interests best visible) reclines, holding scales. Liberty
and the uncertainty of a people that gazes into the mirror, questioning her
concurred fully with their ideas, which destiny. The two cherubs on the right
guaranteed their protection. The rest hold Masonic attributes. The putto on
of the letter is equally eloquent, with the left holds the scales of justice and
Pelegatti speaking on behalf of the equality, under the piercing gaze of the
Lombard patriots and wondering about owl, which represents clairvoyance. The
their destiny. sheaf is perhaps a sign of the abun-
He goes on to say that: “You can see dance to be shared with everyone.
how much the sacred fire of freedom
has been kindled in all the minds of our At this time, Napoleon was still General
country and how reason has spread its of the army. After his victory at the sie-
rays in them”, before ending with the fol- ge of Toulon, the suppression of the
lowing apostille: “We have just received royalist insurrection of 13 Vendémiaire
news that Bonaparte has crossed the of the year IV and his wedding with
Tagliamento and taken 5,000 Austrians Joséphine, Napoleon was in the pro-
prisoner”. cess of ending the Italian Campaign
The vignette shows Liberty standing, victoriously. His popularity was growing
looking at herself in a mirror, while hol- in a France that was not yet very stable.
ding a spear topped with a Phrygian cap Let us remember that we were only
in her right hand. An owl on the left. She eight years after the French Revolution.
is surrounded by three putti: the stan- If the symbols of the Republic were
ding putto to her right holds a plumb already established, it needed a new
line, a seated putto in the foreground statesman.

Delcampe Magazine 19