Thread: Statue Of Liberty Design Was Modeled On Arab Woman

The Statue of Liberty, a symbol of democracy and freedom that has greeted countless immigrants to US shores, was inspired by a project representing an Arab woman guarding the Suez Canal, researchers said.

The recent findings are especially startling for some in the United States amid a heated debate over the arrival of refugees from war-scarred Syria and other Muslim majority countries.

French sculptor Frederic Auguste Bartholdi, who traveled to Egypt in 1855-1856, developed there a "passion for large-scale public monuments and colossal sculptures," said the US National Park Service, which guards the Statue of Liberty in New York.

When the Egyptian government sought proposals in 1869 to build a lighthouse for the Suez Canal, Bartholdi designed a huge statue of a robed woman holding a torch, which he called "Egypt (or Progress) Brings Light to Asia."

The sculpture originally took the "form of a veiled peasant woman," explained Barry Moreno, who has written about the statue, as quoted by the US-funded Smithsonian Institution.

"Bartholdi produced a series of drawings in which the proposed statue began as a gigantic female fellah, or Arab peasant, and gradually evolved into a colossal goddess," added Edward Berenson, who has also written about the subject.

At the time, most Egyptians were Muslims -- about 86 percent in Alexandria and Cairo, and 91 percent in other regions, according to the Smithsonian.

Bartholdi's second chance came when French historian Edouard de Laboulaye originated the idea of a monument presented by the French people to the United States representing "Liberty Enlightening the World."

In 1870, Bartholdi began designing the statue based on his previous design. It was inaugurated in 1886.

Statue of Liberty inspired by Arab woman, researchers say

Originally Posted by Hans Mann

the proposed statue began as a gigantic female fellah

They should have a statue of a gigantic female fella at Suwanapum to warn visitors to the LOS to know what dangers to look out for.

A romantic Orientalist, as was the fashion for that period.

"Based on his previous design" to "Modeled on Arab woman" is a leap in wishful thinking worthy of a religious or 'progressive' mind.

Bloody 2 bit journalists ...

Originally Posted by Hans Mann

"Bartholdi produced a series of drawings in which the proposed statue began as a gigantic female fellah, or Arab peasant,

A female peasant is a "fellaaha", not a fellah

فلاح = fellaah = male peasant/farmer
فلاحة = fellaaha = female peasant

Originally Posted by Hans Mann

At the time, most Egyptians were Muslims

As they are now.

The US National Anthem is an olde English drinking song.

Poor sods, the rewriting of their history is unraveling before their very eyes.

Originally Posted by Neverna

A female peasant is a "fellaaha", not a fellah

no no no

in the dialect of the upper reaches of de nile it is fella

Always be in fear.
That's what they want.

Our orientalist fellows already had an eye for:

Originally Posted by HermantheGerman

Our orientalist fellows already had an eye for:

Heh...

More appropriate and common examples of the times -

Says to this Giza let's av a squint
Is she a fella give us a hint
If your here just for a ride
Open Portholes Port Said
Even the skint can find a bint

Figures...



She's carrying a bomb. And that dress is suspiciously baggy- probably contains a suicide belt. Bet they wouldn't let her on a plane.

Fella is a Scouse Geezer, glad to have cleared that up


Most of the migrants for America set sail from Liverpool.

As for the dress, well...

Originally Posted by Hans Mann

Statue Of Liberty Design Was Modeled On Arab Woman

Originally Posted by Norton

Originally Posted by Hans Mann

Statue Of Liberty Design Was Modeled On Arab Woman

I like it Norton!

Will the visitor's viewing gallery now be from the little slitty bit where her eyes peep out from?

Originally Posted by Hans Mann

The recent findings are especially startling

It's not a recent finding. In 2000 it was claimed the statue was originally a black Egyptian woman but was changed to appease white Americans.
Black Statue of Liberty - Summary Report - Statue Of Liberty National Monument (U.S. National Park Service)

Originally Posted by Hans Mann

The Statue of Liberty, a symbol of democracy and freedom that has greeted countless immigrants to US shores, was inspired by a project representing an Arab woman guarding the Suez Canal, researchers said.

The recent findings are especially startling for some in the United States amid a heated debate over the arrival of refugees from war-scarred Syria and other Muslim majority countries.

It's not startling to anyone.

Who cares?

What does a gift from France have to do with economic migrants from Muslim Syria?

Originally Posted by sabang

Figures...



She's carrying a bomb. And that dress is suspiciously baggy- probably contains a suicide belt. Bet they wouldn't let her on a plane.

She looks like Julius Ceasar, with that nose.

^ Withnail would

So thank God, no "fellaha" after all.

But Edward Berenson, professor of history at New York University, says it’s not accurate to say that the Statue of Liberty was originally conceived as a Muslim woman.
“That’s a serious oversimplification,” said Berenson.
“There’s a relationship between the Egyptian statue that Bartholdi first conceived in the late 1860s. But that statue changed as it migrated to the United States. The original version of the statue made sense for Egyptian society. It wouldn’t have made sense for America.”

http://historynewsnetwork.org/article/161384

“Proclaim the truth and do not be silent through fear.”