| This oil painting depicts the Tennis Court Oath which concluded on June 20, 1789. The Estates-General made no progress because of the conservatism of the privileged class. In the face of this impasse, the elected representatives of the Third Estate declared themselves the "National Assembly" on June 17. To counter this revolutionary decision, the court closed the chamber where they met. On June 20, the representatives moved to a tennis court nearby where they swore not to disperse until they had drawn up a constitution for France.
(It is essential that the copyright-by-line of this artwork: Musˆme Carnavalet / Roger-Viollet appear next to the image.) |
