The text of this rare woodcut poster tells us all that we need to know: "The storming of the bastille was the first act of the Revolution, and its anniversary was chosen to become Republic Day. The image below, contemporary with the first Republic, gives in striking outline an idea of ​​our history at that time. The torch in one hand, the dagger in the other, the head crowned with snakes, dressed in a dress illustrated with skulls, the Republic walks between the fire and the guillotine, trampling underfoot the Cross and the Gospel, the tiara and the royal crown." The image at center is an engraving from the Bibliothèque Nationale.
Jules le Clere, Paris