They sprang from the Seine as the Marseillaise resounded from the roof of the Grand Palais: 10 golden statues appeared during the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. But who are these women in the spotlight?
The opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games orchestrated by Thomas Jolly had plenty of surprises in store for us: exceptional singers, a catwalk and drag show, a silver horse, a masked torchbearer on the rooftops of Paris... This grand spectacle, broadcast around the world, was also an opportunity to pay tribute to great French figures.
In particular, Thomas Jolly wanted to highlight 10 great women who have left their mark on French history, from the Middle Ages to the present day. To honor these illustrious women, the artistic director chose to depict them in the form of gilded statues rising from the Seine, while opera singer Axelle Saint-Cirel performed the Marseillaise from the roof of the Grand Palais.
Close to the National Assembly, ten statues stood on either side of the river in a painting entitled "Sorority". These "golden women" are : Simone de Beauvoir, Olympe de Gouges, Simone Veil, Alice Milliat, Gisèle Halimi, Paulette Nardal, Jeanne Barret, Christine de Pizan, Alice Guy and Louise Michel. Some are well known to the public, others less so. Here's a rundown of their achievements.
- Christine de Pizan (1364-1430): Philosopher and poetess renowned for her erudition. She is notably the author of La Cité des Dames, sometimes considered one of the first feminist literary works.
- Jeanne Barret (1740-1807): Explorer and botanist, she was the first woman to circumnavigate the globe. She contributed to the identification of many plants.
- Olympe de Gouges (1748-1793): Woman of letters and politician, pioneer of feminism in France and drafter of the Declaration of the Rights of Women and Citizens.
- Louise Michel (1830-1905): Schoolteacher, writer and anarchist activist, feminist symbol of the Paris Commune.
- Alice Guy (1873-1968): Film director, screenwriter and producer. She was the first film director in the history of cinema and the author of one of the very first fiction films.
- Alice Milliat (1884-1957): A swimmer, ice-hockey player and rower, she was instrumental in gaining international recognition for women's sport.
- Paulette Nardal (1896-1985): Woman of letters and journalist, militant for the black cause, she was one of the inspirations for the négritude movement. She was also the first black woman to study at the Sorbonne.
- Simone de Beauvoir (1908-1986): Woman of letters, author of Le Deuxième Sexe and considered an important theorist of feminism and women's liberation in the 1970s.
- Simone Veil (1927-2017): Magistrate and stateswoman. An Auschwitz survivor, she was appointed Minister of Health and decriminalized abortion. She has long fought against discrimination against women in France.
- Gisèle Halimi (1927-2020): Lawyer, feminist activist and politician campaigning against war crimes and colonialism and for women's rights. She defended (among others) activists for Algerian independence, women accused of illegal abortions and contributed to the adoption of a law recognizing rape as a crime.
What next? Thomas Jolly's intention was to bequeath the statues to the City of Paris, so that they could be permanently installed in the capital and visible to all. Anne Hidalgo, Mayor of Paris, has confirmed her wish to exhibit the statues: " I think they would all have a place in Paris, particularly in the 18th arrondissement ," she told BFMTV. The municipality is working to make this project a reality.
Paris 2024 Olympics: What happens to the ceremony sets and will they soon be open to the public?
The statues of the Great Women, the cauldron, the silver horse and even the outfits for the opening ceremony of the 2024 Olympics... What will become of the sets and other accessories? Will they soon be visible to the general public? Find out here. [Read more]
Paris 2024 Olympics: What happens to the ceremony sets and will they soon be open to the public?
