A Trip to Paris, in July and August, 1792

1793

Shoults Eb 1793 T

London: Printed at the Minerva Press

Sick of heavy taxation, bad harvests, and the excessive luxury enjoyed by the aristocracy and clergy, the people of France rose up in rebellion. One of the most important events in world history – the French Revolution (1789-99) began after the storming of the Bastille on the 14th July 1789. An iconic symbol of the aftermath of the Revolution is the guillotine, the ‘people’s avenger’ – both Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette lost their heads by its sharp blade. The machine was praised as a ‘humane form of execution’ and for its ‘celerity’ in dispatching the condemned. This engraving was drawn by British travel writer Richard Twiss (1747-1821), despite the fact he did not actually witness the August 4th execution of two criminals: a Marquis and a priest.