Collot d'Herbois - Images And Scenes With His Participation

The Freedom Festival, held in Paris on 15 April 1792 in order to celebrate the release to freedom of the soldiers of the Châteauvieux Regiment, unjustly sentenced to galleys and liberated as a result of a lengthy campaign led by Collot d’Herbois.

It is in this ceremony that Paris first saw the Phrygian cap, which soon became one of the most enduring symbols of the French Revolution.

Trial of the King at the National Convention, January 1793. Collot d’Herbois is shown in the uppermost row, on the benches occupied by the deputies of the Mountain party, left bottom corner. Collot is leaning forward to speak with Billaud-Varenne.

Collot was absent on mission for most of the Louis's trial but he returned in time to take part in the vote on the sentence. He voted in favour of death within 24 hours.

A Revolutionary Committee of 1793.

This contemporary cartoon represents a Jacobin revolutionary committee receiving the former Girondin minister of the Interiour, Roland. When Roland produces his Certificat de civisme (Certificate of Good Citizenship), the reaction of the sans-culottes and the present Montagnards (Collot d'Herbois and Hérault de Séchelle) is evident. One of the sans-culottes just cannot believe it, Collot is angry at Roland's audacity, while Hérault finds that Roland's claim of being a good patriot is a good joke. Collot and Hérault's presence in this scene is not an accident: Collot had repeatedly denounced Roland at the Jacobins while Hérault de Séchelle was president of the Convention on the day the arrest of Roland and the Girondins was voted.

The Committee of Public Safety.

Engraving by E. Bure after a drawing by Félix Philippoteaux.

From left to right clockwise: Louis-Antoine Saint-Just (standing), Maximilien Robespierre, Georges Couthon, Jacques-Nicolas Billaud-Varenne, Robert Lindet (with long hair, standing), Jean-Marie Collot d'Herbois, Bertrand Barère, Prieur de la Côte-d'Or (standing), Carnot.

The Committee is here gathered in plenary meeting, which was where the most important matters were discussed. Collot d’Herbois, with jet black hair, is sitting at the far end of the table, listening with intense concentration. Billaud-Varenne is equally absorbed in reflection over Saint-Just’s proposals to the Committee.

Collot d’Herbois overseeing the demolition works in Place Bellecour. Lyon, 1793. Engraving by J. Ladmiral after a drawing by Félix Philippoteaux.

The application of the Convention’s decree on destruction of the houses of the rich in Lyon is being supervised by two Representatives on mission (in the distance, on horseback, with tricolour scarves). Much has been made of these demolition works but in reality only a handful of buildings were torn down in order to satisfy the decree, mostly those buildings that had been irreparably damaged by the bombardment during the siege, or otherwise ripe for demolition as part of the regeneration of the city. Demolition works provided jobs for a significant part of the city's unemployed.

Collot d’Herbois and the Republican Triumph in Lyon. Anonymous engraving.

This is a 'patriotic' drawing, depicting the Republic’s triumph over the royalist rebellion at Lyon. A possible interpretation: Collot d’Herbois is supporting the allegorical figure of Justice, who leans slightly on him. She holds the symbolic scales in her hand. At her feet, are lying the defeated figures of treason and rebellion.

Admirat's assassination attempt against Collot d’Herbois. May 1794.
Henri Admirat (pronounced "Amira"; frequently misspelled as 'Admiral', 'Ladmiral', 'Amiral' or 'Lamiral') lived in the same building as Collot. He bore many grudges against the Revolution, not least for closing down the public lottery of which he had been an employee, and making him redundant. He decided to assassinate Collot and had lain in wait for his victim, armed with two pistols. Collot, returning from a late night meeting of the Committee, was chatting with his governess (seen here holding a lamp) on the stairway when Admirat struck.

L'Admiral attempting to assassinate Collot d’Herbois.
Engraving by Alfred Johannot after Revel.

Admirat fired two shots at Collot at point blank range, but most fortunately, the first pistol misfired. Collot has avoided the second shot by leaning backwards. He then defended himself with his sword and managed to prevent the assassin from escaping from the building. Admirat barricaded himself in his flat. Meanwhile the sounds of gun being fired as well as Collot’s powerful voice appealing for help alerted the National Guards who were patrolling the streets nearby.

Geoffroy arresting Amiral, would-be assassin of Collot d’Herbois.
Engraving by Marchand after a drawing by Desray, published by Basset.

Admirat refused to give himself up. From behind the door, he threatened to shoot at the first person to penetrate into the flat. Admirat was eventually arrested but not before seriously wounding a man named Geoffroy who was helping the National Guards to gain entry into the flat. Geoffroy's bravery instantly brought him enormous popularity and celebrity; he was regarded as a 'martyr of liberty'.

10.

Collot d’Herbois driven from the Jacobin Club. Le 8 thermidor an II.
Engraving by Alfred Johannot after Mauduit.

Collot d’Herbois and Billaud-Varenne came to the Jacobins in the evening of 8 thermidor in order to make one final attempt at reconciliation with Robespierre. The Jacobins whipped into frenzy by Robespierre's speech against the Committee, received Collot and Billaud with extreme hostility, refused to let them speak, showered them with abuse and threw them out of the club. Robespierre did nothing to stop this violent behaviour toward the two members of the government. Collot and Billaud returned to the Committee in a furious state and with their clothes torn.

11.

9 Thermidor at the National Convention.

Collot d’Herbois is presiding over the Assembly. He is seen raising his hand, struggling to bring the deputies to order, as a fierce struggle rages around the rostrum.

12.

The people attempting to stop Collot d’Herbois’ deportation.
Engraving by Tony Johannot after Blanchard.

The real events do not correspond exactly to what the contemporary drawings depict. In fact, the Collot's carriage had left Paris early in the morning, avoiding crowds. Billaud-Varenne and Barère were to follow later.

13.

Collot d’Herbois’ departure for exile.

Engraving after a drawing by Girardet. Another engraving representing the public unrest that ensued as the news of Collot, Billaud and Barère's deportation spread through Paris. General Pichegru, ironically also soon to be deported to French Guiana where he would perish, played a crucial role in dispersing the sans-culottes who attemped to rescue Collot d’Herbois and his former colleagues.