The celebrations in the capital

Abstract

This chapter describes in detail the preparations for the great Festival between the speech of 18 Floréal and at the event itself on 20 Prairial. There is a detailed comparison of this festival with the previous Fête de la Réunion in August 1793 with special reference to the attempts to avoid the organisational problems of the 1793 festival. The problems relating to the construction of the major items particular to this Festival, in particular the Statue of Hideous Atheism, set on fire to reveal a Statue of Wisdom and the famous Mountain constructed in the Champs de la Réunion (the Champ de Mars) are discussed in detail. The author is able, for the first time, to estimate reasonably accurately the actual size of the Mountain, using a previously disregarded archival source. The organisation and details of the procession are discussed in detail; the chapter includes a map of the route and illustrations of the major constructions. The chapter concludes with a discussion of the contents of Robespierre’s speeches at the event and the public verbal attacks on him by his enemies in the Convention.