Gallery Talk: Gray Area—The Third Estate and the French Revolution

This event does not require registration; see further details below.

Join curator Elizabeth Rudy for a discussion of the life and career of French statesman Emmanuel Joseph Sieyès (1748–1836), portrayed in an 1817 oil painting by Jacques-Louis David. Sieyès’s provocative 1789 essay “What Is the Third Estate?” galvanized public support for democracy, just before the onset of the French Revolution. By the later stage of the revolution, Sieyès became disenchanted by the movement’s violence cause, and he eventually helped Napoleon seize power as emperor.

This talk is part of Gray Area, a new series that features members of our curatorial staff exploring artworks that capture the complexities of humanity, political landscapes, ethics, ideologies, power dynamics, and critical thinking in our times. Through this series, we hope to encourage people to observe and consider their own individual gray areas, and to think about how their unique experiences guide the choices they make. In the lead-up to the U.S. national election in November, we invite you to journey through the intersection of decision making, art, and civic engagement.

Led by:
Elizabeth Rudy, Carl A. Weyerhaeuser Curator of Prints, Division of European and American Art

Please check in with museum staff at the Visitor Services desk in the Calderwood Courtyard to request to join the gallery talk. Talks are limited to 18 people and are available on a first-come, first-served basis; no registration is required.

The Harvard Art Museums offer free admission every day, Tuesday through Sunday. Please see the museum visit page to learn about our general policies for visiting the museums.

The Harvard Art Museums are committed to accessibility for all visitors. For anyone requiring accessibility accommodations for our programs, please contact us at am_register@harvard.edu at least 48 hours in advance.