Marianne - a Historie
Laetitia Maria Laure Casta (born May 11, 1978) is a French fashion model.
Casta is a supermodel and the official face of L'Oreal. In 1999 she became the model of Marianne by a vote held in France. Laetitia has been featured everywhere including Guess? Jeans, her first major American advertising campaign, Victoria's Secret, Sports Illustrated swimsuit editions, Rolling Stone, Pirelli Tires, L'Oreal, being the muse of Yves St. Laurent, as well as hundreds of magazine covers.
Casta was reportedly spotted by a photographer while lying on a beach with her family at age 15. In the late 1990s she become known around the world as a model for Guess? clothing and as one of the Internet's most popular pinup girls. She has also appeared in the Victoria's Secret catalog, in Sports Illustrated, and in the usual top-flight fashion magazines.
Marianne, a national emblem of France, is a personification of Liberty and Reason. She is present in many places in France and holds a place of honor in town halls and law courts. She symbolizes the "Triumph of the Republic", a bronze sculpture overlooking the Place de la Nation in Paris.
And where does she come from? One thing is certain: her image never leaves the French indifferent. During the last two wars, some people worshipped her like a saint.
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In September 1792, the French National Convention decided that the new Seal of the State should be represented by the young spear-wielding, Phrygian cap-wearing woman of lore. It was a woman then, and now, who has since represented the whole of the Republic. Why? Well- liberté, égalité, fraternité, and république are all feminine words in French! At the time, accounts made of their exploits by the Revolutionaries often contained a reference to a certain 'Marianne'. This pretty girl of legend inspired the same sans-culottes who looked after those wounded in the frequent battles strewn across the country. During the Second Empire, several of the members who'd sworn to overthrow the régime had taken upon themselves her name. The name "Marianne" even today, appears to be connected with several Republican secret societies. In classical times, it was common to represent ideas and abstract entities by gods, goddesses, and allegoric personifications. This practice was less-common during the Middle Ages, but had resurfaced during the Renaissance. |
This person symbolized Liberty, Reason, the French Nation, and the civic virtues of the Republic (reference the Statue of Liberty- which was created by a French artist). In 1999, Laetitia Maria Laure Casta became the model for and symbolic representation of the French Republic as the face and the look of Marianne; personification of Liberty and Reason. She thus holds a very real place of honor in town halls. The "Triumph of the Republic"; physically, a bronze sculpture which overlooks the Place de la Nation in Paris, was patterned after her. Mrs. Casta's relief now appears upon the official seal of the country. It is engraved upon French euro coins and banknotes, and shows up on French postage stamps. Marianne today is considered one of the most prominent symbols of the Republic. |
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Laetitia Casta Trivia:
"Laetitia" means joy in Latin
Laetitia Casta Trivia:
"Casta" means pure.
Laetitia Casta's Quote:
"Real beauty is to be true to oneself. That's what makes me feel good."
Liberty Leading the People by Eugène Delacroix
History
Models
Today, Marianne remains as attractive as ever. She has even grown younger. The official busts, after having had anonymous features, began taking the features of famous women during the Fifth Republic: the first one was Brigitte Bardot in 1970, with the design of the sculptor Alain Gourdon, aka Aslan, who reportedly did so at first as a joke. She was followed by Mireille Mathieu (1978, Aslan again), Catherine Deneuve (1985), Inès de la Fressange, Sophie Marceau, and Laetitia Casta (2000).
Laetitia Casta was named the symbolic representation of France's Republic in a vote, for the first time open to the country's (more than 36,000 mayors) in October 1999. She won the vote from a shortlist of 5 candidates, scoring 36% among the 15,000 voting mayors. Shortly thereafter, a mini-scandal shook France, after it was publicized that Casta – the new icon of the Republic – had relocated to London. Although she claimed that her move was motivated by "practical" professional reasons, the magazine Le Point, among others, suggested that she was trying to escape taxes, "following 250,000 other money-making Frenchmen who moved to the United Kingdom".
A recent discovery establishes that the first written mention of the name of Marianne to designate the Republic appeared in October 1792 in Puylaurens in the Tarn département near Toulouse. At that time, people used to sing a song in the Provençal dialect by the poet Guillaume Lavabre: 'La garisou de Marianno' (French: 'La guérison de Marianne'; 'Marianne's recovery').
At that time the account made of their exploits by the Revolutionaries often contained a reference to a certain Marianne (or Marrie-Anne) wearing a Phrygian cap. This pretty girl of legend inspired the sans-culottes and looked after those wounded in the many battles across the country.
Although common emblems of France, neither Marianne nor the rooster enjoys official status: the flag of France, as named and described in Article 2 of the French constitution, is the only official emblem.
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