Secondary sourcePainting

Portrait of Olimpe de Gouges

Unknown

An engraved portrait showing how the image of Olympe de Gouges circulated in print after her death.

An engraved portrait identified as Olympe de Gouges, showing how her image was remembered and circulated after her death.

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Black and white circular image of a woman in a light bonnet with decorative trim, a white neckerchief tied at the front, and a dark dress, set against a dark background. The image is a monochrome reproduction of a small round portrait. — Unknown engraver, Portrait of Olimpe de Gouges.

About this source

What it is

This is a small circular engraved portrait of a woman identified as Olympe de Gouges, created by an unknown artist. It shows her wearing a light bonnet and dark dress typical of the period.

Why it matters

Portraits like this one helped shape public memory of historical figures. Since Olympe de Gouges was a controversial and politically active woman, images such as this one contributed to how later generations imagined her appearance and character.

Look closer

What details in her clothing and expression might suggest about how she wanted to be seen, or how others wanted her to be seen?
Why might this portrait exist only as a monochrome reproduction rather than in color?
What questions can you ask about whether this image accurately reflects her real appearance?

This painting is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Olympe de Gouges on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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Printed page of the 1791 Declaration des droits de la femme et de la citoyenne, with the title in large capitals, a subtitle addressed to the National Assembly, and the opening Preambule paragraphs in French text.

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Declaration of the Rights of Woman and the Female Citizen

Olympe de Gouges · 1791

Painted allegory of the 1789 French Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen. A title plaque reads 'Déclaration des droits de l'homme et du citoyen' above two tablets of text. A seated woman with chains and a standing winged figure with a wand flank the plaque, under a radiant eye in a triangle.

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Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen

National Constituent Assembly · 1789

Printed broadside titled 'Les Trois Urnes, ou le Salut de la Patrie, par un Voyageur Aérien' in large capitals on an orange-tinted page, with dense multi-column French text below the title.

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Les Trois Urnes, ou le Salut de la Patrie, par un voyageur aérien

Olympe de Gouges · 1793

Pastel-style portrait of a woman with powdered grey hair piled high, wearing a white shawl, against a dark brown and grey background. She has a slight smile and looks toward the viewer.

Painting

Primary source

Portrait of Olympe de Gouges

Alexander Kucharsky

Title page scan of the 1793 French text 'Testament politique d'Olympe de Gouges', printed in serif type with a decorative rule above and below the title. The opening paragraph begins with 'O divine providence!' and is partly faded and smudged.

Document

Primary source

Testament politique d'Olympe de Gouges

Olympe de Gouges · June 1793

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