Paris, France —He was young, rich, a noble and beloved in his country. But he left that all behind at the age of 19 and served beyond the sea for the love of liberty that shaped his entire life. He was wounded in the leg at the Battle of Brandywine, rode white horses and named his children George Washington and Virginie, for the state of Virginia. Gilbert du Motier de La Fayette better known in the United States  just as La Fayette was a French aristocrat, military officer and politician who volunteered to join the Continental Army led by General George Washington in the American Revolutionary War from 1977 until 1981. He was at the side of Washington along with his compatriots Rochambeau and De Grasse, thus playing a major role in a war that would see the victory of the United States  of America which had declared its independence from Great Britain in 1776, 250 years ago. 

But he also played a role in the French Revolution and the downfall of Napoleon, all guided by his fervent desire for freedom. Although considered a hero in the United States, he was a subject of controversy in his own country, France. One of the emblematic figures of Franco-American friendship, nicknamed the « Hero of Two Worlds,  he was possibly one of the first internationally known icons. There was even in his time Lafayette memorabilia in France including playing cards, calendars, buttons, fans and tableware. An exhibition being held at Archives Nationale (France’sNational Archives) is devoted to Lafayette brining together documents, objects and works of art tracing the life and times of this :”Hero of Two Worlds”. The Skillman Library of Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania was a major lender to the exhibition, entitled Lafayette, Between France and America, History and Legend, being held in the splendid mansion of the Hôtel de Soubise where France’s National Archives are located. The exhibition benefited from the participation of Lafayette College, which is celebrating its 200th anniversary this year,  the Musée Carnavalet, the museum of the city of Paris and the Lafayette Fondation Chambrun.

President James Monroe sent the Marquis de Lafayette an invitation from Congress to visit the United States in 1824. He embarked on a journey of 13 months visiting each and every of the 23 states that were part of the Union at the time. A farewell tour of sorts. Thousands of people greeted him at each stop, he met with the Senate and House, and gave an address to the latter., which is on show. He visited schools and met with the children, including a 6-year-old Walt Whitman and hugged veterans of the Revolutionary War. One of the more touching objects in the exhibition is an invitation to La Fayette from the residents of Versailles, Kentucky inviting him to a country barbecue on May 13th, 1825.  Roads, cities, schools and places in the United States are named after him. The show is on until July 14th. The catalogue of the exhibition is available in French and English. 60 rue des Francs-Bourgeois, 75003, Paris, France. https://www.archives-nationales.culture.gouv.fr/

©Trish Valicenti for The Gourmet Gazette