FEBRUARY 1848: ANNOUNCEMENTS, MEDALS, BOURGEOIS, A SASH, FURNITURE, A PROCLAMATION... BUT NO HUMBLE FIGHTERS

THE MUSEUM MIGHT SHOW...

• TORCH-LIT CORPSES.

• DESTRUCTION (NOT PILLAGE) OF ROYAL TREASURE.

• THE TERROR THAT POPULAR DISCIPLINE INSTILLED. 

Instead... 

The National Guards defended property and so were middle-class. The fallen fighter is plebeian, but secondary and faceless as usual.

The handsome young man resembles romantic heroes.

...Lamartine making his speech, his sash, portrait and chest of drawers...

The deposed king's desk, the proclamation of his abdication...

# # #

The only signs of popular insurrection are two paintings that fill the blank space behind the king's desk.  

• A platform prevents approaching them and they are too distant to be made out:

• In front of the installation is a transparent panel, on which a piece of cloth from the throne room is attached:

There are no painting titles.

A sign does not mention the rebels 

or the incidents the paintings show.

It does say,

"Textile fragment from the throne room

 of Louis-Philippe obtained by A. Bernard, 

student at the École polytechnique." 

*    *    *

Next,

June 1848: A table at the back of the room