This video was unusual for me to make: it was an attempt to integrate art with more academic disciplines, but it was also about getting a chance to collaborate with an artist I admire. I tried something new, but I'm not sure if the format worked. Was the scope too big? Was it interesting to watch? I'd love to hear your thoughts (because I really enjoyed putting this together and hope to continue making vids that are more than just drawing tips).
This video perfectly summarizes my philosophy on what makes a good video. Give them audience something so you can do your own thing! Like you teaching us about character design and history so you can collaborate with someone you admire. I’d love to see more videos in this kind of vain! It seems perfect for you.
This was amazing to watch, so many designs, so much to look at, so many thoughts, wonderful! I'd be thrilled to see more videos like this in the future :D
WOW, wow, wow! What an interesting and really engaging way of bringing history to light and life! Very well done! I loved it and found it inspiring and worthy of note.
It was absolutely wonderful to watch! I think the scope was good especially since you clearly cut it up into parts. And I was able to learn about something that I wasn't familiar with which was really cool! I love how much thought goes into the poses to represent character, That's something I would love to represent in my art too! Fabulous work~ Thank you Michelle and Janelle!
Just found out cats are given cider vinegar as a cure for mange and other illnesses and when they drink it they look like they're sadly wincing, I was expecting a more disgusted expression XD.
I'm so happy that these videos are giving me a chance to combine all my interests + that the format is working for you guys. @em j I use Premiere Pro. Sometimes, I'll dabble with After Effects for more visually complex shots.
If Robespierre's life was fiction, it would probably be considered an excellent and almost textbook literary tragedy. That it actually happened in real life, how someone who once opposed the death penalty instituted the Terror, how an avowed pacifist eventually presided over what was the largest war in history at the time, how a simple lawyer along with the people of France toppled a thousand year old tyrannical institution in 3 years just to be called tyrant himself, and how at the very end he was robbed of the voice that made his career, is something that's almost too extraordinary to be true. In the end though despite everything I have to go with Napoleon's judgement that he did emerge superior to the throng and essentially saved the revolution from disintegration. Anyone who can steer a nation through a chaotic year like 1793 when France had to fight a European war and civil war at the same time and somehow have the nation emerge even stronger has my grudging respect
Yes…let’s forget all the innocent people he killed for disagreeing with him. Maybe we should talk about hitler next… a misunderstood wanna be artist who fought for his country against the unfairness of the contract of Versailles made by the allies have WW 1 that was ruining Germany. 🙄
The only issue I have with your comment is that the king wasn't a tyrant, and France would only recover from those events under Napoleon III, 40 years later
@@Kenfren sorry but you didnt understand. Robespierre and St Just were clear : it is not the PERSON of the king that is at stake, but the MONARCHY in itself. The monarchy was unable to destroy its inner tyranny... It was a tyrannic system ! Do you get it? Every attempt to reform it was unsuccessful ! The execution of Louis XVI was an absolute must not because ofthe personnality ofthe King but because it was the only WAY to crush this tyrannic system !
Your "Good" design for him makes him seem like Anna from Frozen. Curious, joyful, ever the optimist. It feels so different when compared to his "Evil" design, which gives off a feeling of being in a dramatic horror novel from the early 1800's. Its like I'm looking at a perfect representation of Jekyll and Hyde. One side looking pure and kind, but underneath is a dark, cruel, murderous personality that only his victims see. I love the representation you use in your art, and your style of art is elegant and beautiful as well. I would love to see this as a TV show.
As a history major, I come back to this video every so often. Not only do you possess a great style of presenting and teaching, it's one of the most beautiful and expert ways to meld two different content areas. The expert way in which you detail different artists perspectives on a historic figure is so fascinating. You're very well spoken, and well organized. Everything is clean, clear-cut, and your process is very thorough. It makes me feel as though I am watching a master artist crafting something extraordinary. What excitement, what beauty!
As an art history major, I agree 100%. 10/10 I wish some of my professors were as well spoken, organised and dynamic in their presenting of content. Sending this to the class group chat. They're gonna love it.
The Evil Robespierre's cape concealing a rich, royal, red lining actually plays really well into how he's often (mis)characterised by those who see him as The Villain - a man pretending to adhere to progressive ideals, while becoming the very type of despotic leader he had condemned. In a story leaning towards this narrative, this visual element would illustrate his betrayal of the revolution's beliefs. Just a cool thing I noticed
@@LynnHermione The American Revolution was a lot more bloody than the French but you don't see the "revolution betrayed" narrative being applied to the Founding Fathers. The whole mythos around Robbespiere was created after his death, mostly by those who had reasons to dislike him, the newly empowered royals. Don't forget that most of what we, as average people, know about historic figures is based on propaganda.
@@mynamejeff3545 to be fair the American revolution was more a external war, due to the fact it was the american colonists vs the Britain empire, it made sense for it to be more bloody. In that sense it was a bit more straightforward. The french on the other hand was alot more of a political change internally with more "non-combatants" (for lack of a better word) killed, through trials. Im not sure if comparing the two is completely right.
@@LynnHermione ain’t every leader with good intentions always get corrupted by absolute power? No one is safe from this , he is the same to other leader out there, no different. The thing is his action didn’t bleed out of Paris and engulfed all of France back then. He evil no doubt but he is tame from what our history had created after him.
@@faulergeist4159 The monarchist regime in power was violent against the peasantry in their subjucation of that class. That's reason enough to rid the country of 'non-combatant' parasites.
Im a teacher, and this level of instruction is incredibly beautiful and interesting. This is history as it should be, can be, ambitiously taught. I aspire to be close
I lowkey wanna see a Marie Antoinette version of this... the three versions could be like the gorgeous glutton for luxury items, the simple 'country girl' deluding herself in her personal farmhouse in midst of the Revolution, and the true version who was a misunderstood lonely princess who wanted to live her life regardless of the strict social structure that Versailles thrusted upon her Amazing video btw! I love how dramatic the evil ver is with Louboutin cape
The true version of her also plotted to undermine the revolution. She wasn't an evil glutton but she was certainly more than just a misunderstood princess
We literally NEED more shows, movies, and animations set in the 1700s because that time was such an interesting time with the fashion, art, etc. I would love to see shows that show the daily life of people in that time, the rich, poor, whatever, because theres NOTHING that could make you bored when it comes to fancy gentlemen and ladies with 10 feet tall hair😚
Its extremely expensive to produce cartoons at most you will get fan made productions. Maybe Europe will do it bit America is more interested in 3D than 2D animation.
If you like this aesthetics, I recommend checking out this cool webcomic called Tiger, Tiger it has a great continuous story and beautiful art to accompany it. 😍
@@rargnari2606 I agree wholeheartedly, especially since that time period was known for its sense of "romance": what I mean is epic wars such as Bolivars Wars against the Spanish, The Haitian Revolution, The French Revolution, etc
@@mylesjude233 Yes! Me too! That whole time frame is just my favorite ever🙌❤ It's just so epic, the way the underdogs of society can change the course of well the majority of humanity.
i love how this video promotes the message that history isn't a one-sided story. it's a complex one full of diverse characters with rich backgrounds and reasons behind their actions that we cannot completely articulate. nobody is truly a villain in history; like you said, it's the most well known but least understood that are portrayed this way. every person has a bad side and a good side. Not only that, but the presence of a "neutral" side allows us to find balance between different elements of our background, experienced and personality while reflecting who we truly are, what we aspire to be, and the things we've done.
this video fits my niche perfectly - its got history, historical fashion, character design, animation, pretty much everything im interested in. if i were to make a yt channel i would want to make videos like this. i would love to see this become a series, if you’re interested in making more!
Janelle’s work is so out of this world, I’ve been in love with it ever since the Warm Welcome short film! I’ve never seen people draw characters with such elegance :D
Man, im stunned. this was such a cinematic masterpiece. art, information, audio, editing, just everything was amazing! you are such a blessing and one of my fav content creators. this format is also so creative and fresh, a feast for both intellect and artists. its also great to see an artist who doesnt shy away from putting in the proper research and actually seems to be interested in acquiring knowledge since theres usually this stereotype of artists being bad at school :-p i would LOVE more videos like these!
It's interesting that the "neutral" form you settled on is a cool jade colour, an opposite to the hues of red used in both good and evil. It really makes the two sides stand out, yet, look somewhat similar in their colours at least. Cool!
This is the kind of videos that should be shown to first time people on RUclips. To show that this place isn’t as terrible as it seems. This place can hold great beauty and passion if you know where to look. The amount of work that these people put into a single video astounds me. If more people on RUclips put as much work as you do into your videos RUclips would be significantly better.
It’s a question of target demographic and if there’s a good story to be told. Unfortunately, even that isn’t a golden ticket for executives and investors.
I feel like I’ve watched a fair share as a child, mostly American propaganda however (like Liberty Kids). Usually there’d be some element of a child time traveling to meet historical figures more intimately. As for nowadays, there are quite a few Japanese ones, I recommend Vinland Saga (follows the story of Thorfinn), it is VERY well made and I 100% recommend it as a Daneslaw enthusiast. There’s also the Rose of Versailles, which is a much more dated adaptation (1970s) but is beloved nonetheless. It’s a staple within works specifically appealing to a more female audience, and it’s full of drama, suspense, and theatrical whimsy. It’s an interesting watch, and I’d argue even more than the media itself, it’s influence is key and it remains one of the most famous historical recreations to have ever been created.
" and france was undergoing... a rather *violent* identity crisis " just gold. as long as this video- the blending of academics with your storytelling techniques? perfect.
I must say, as a history buff and aspiring writer with no sense of fashion, I applaud your ability to seamlessly blend personal psychology and historiography with fashion while keeping it engaging and informative for laymen like myself. This is a masterclass in thought process, collaboration, and execution through and through. Obviously, it’s your channel and you can do what you like, but I’d love to see more profiles of this sort for people ranging from Machiavelli and Shakespeare to Ibn Battuta and Ashoka. Either way, fantastic job!
I like how almost all of them have sort of bird like vibes, Good is, as you said, like a pidgeon and more innocent. But in Evil I got raven or crow-like vibes, very thin and brooding and an almost beak-like face.
I'd love to see these designs in a historical show, basically showing Robespierre starting off as a hero, but becomes the villain as the series goes on
And she strikes again! Gorgeous in every single way, this video just makes me want to pick up my pencil and draw! It's stunningly educational, both in terms of the history surrounding Robespierre and how character design influences the way we look at said character. Combine that with a soothing voice, two very very skilled hands and Louie Zong's incredible sound, and there you go, 15 minutes and 8 seconds of my time fantastically well-spent!
The reveal of the Neutral ✨Main Character✨ Robespierre between the Twisted and Romantic types was so visually pleasing, many thanks! This was so stunning!
En tant que français passionné par la période révolutionnaire, je ne peux que m'enthousiasmer pour votre projet! Les trois versions de Robespierre sont magnifiques et je trouve que la version neutre est la plus aboutie. Félicitation pour votre travail passionné, votre art est magnifique , ravi que vous le mettiez au service de l'histoire de France!
Red was actually a pretty popular and common colour among the lower classes during the 18th century, the warm colour was thought to bring warmth and health to the wearer. If his coat lining was dyed with madder he would have been able to affort it.
I always come back to this video, because this video is just absolutely beautiful. Storytelling and art wise, I love the connection between telling Robespierre different lives with art, showing all sides of the story, while bringing history into of this. As a history buff, and an artist, my mouth drops every time I watch this video. It’s just beautifully handcrafted.
This video and this character remind me of a manga I read called Innocent. The story follows a man from a family of executioners and takes place In France during the time of Marie Antoinette. The ending wasn’t the best but I enjoyed the read and recommend it for anyone who enjoys historical story’s.
+ The artwork of this manga is absolutely stunning ! There is also a very nice and well edited video on RUclips about the creator of this manga that I highly recommend ! Let me find it...
As french person who's not really into history, you almost make me want to know more about my country. The presentation, your sweet voice, your style, the color you use... it's delightful ! 🌸
I was born and still live in Arras, Robespierre's hometown, (his house is now a museum !) He is such an important yet controversial figure here, and I'm sad that the French don't really have a good understanding of English because your video is so cool and so interesting and it deserves to be shared, especially with the people of Arras! Keep up the good work this is amazing !
It was such a lovely collab experience and seeing the reception makes me so relieved. What better ways to remember 10 Thermidor than seeing people learning its complexity through an untraditional form. Thank you again for reading my way-to-long essays and offering this chance to collaborate. Also, I highly recommend everyone to check out the Further Reading hehe
Oh smiley I have already said everything that I've needed to say to you but thank you for agreeing to this in the first place. I loved learning with and from you, and I'm glad we were able to experiment with something a bit more unconventional. If you happen to be reading this thread, do take a gander at the further reading.
Fun fact, my dad used to tell me that our name, Robe, is actually the remain of the Robespierre family, who change their name after the révolution... I am pretty much ashamed of this, since Robespierre was not quite à great person, and i actually went pretty surpised that you talked about him ! Anyway, i love your art obviously, thank you for this superb video ! :)
Think of the positive side, you belong in the bloodline of one of the most influential and recognisable french historical figures! No need to be ashamed of your ancestors, because they do not define you or your generation; only theirs. What’s wonderful is that you can say where your family comes from and recognise both the accomplishments and the mistakes of the past, which is great for everybody no matter what their roots.
@@goshujinsama666 that's a great way to look at it! I kind of wish we can know who our ancestors were one by one, so i can know what history is in my own bloodline
Same! I Really want to where it everyday but I’ll definitely get some mixed looks from people maybe some people in awe others in disgust and definitely some who are just wondering what I’m wearing😅
@@lieutenantaustin7960 So? Don’t let other peoples negative opinions reflect on the way you want to carry out each day! If you want to dress like this, no-one’s stopping you! I personally think you’d look pretty damn fashionable! :D
I absolutely LOVED this video, the approach and choices made to design a character, the history facts and every single bit of information you gave us! as someone who found it impossible to understand and concentrate during history lessons when I was a teen, this was such a pleasure to watch, I felt like you grabbed my attention completely, I would love to see more videos like this in the future! love it!
I'm really, really happy that you felt this way. It was a challenge trying to figure out how we could present history in a way that felt accessible, and I'm definitely encouraged by your feedback to keep making vids like this ^^
These character designs videos might be the best ones I´ve ever seen in RUclips. There´s literally no way to explain how these videos make me feel. Not just the talent you have to thoroughly create such stunning characters with loads of details, or your PRECIOUS style, but also the way you explain the whole process with great passion. It reflects the fervor you put into your designs. I wish I could express myself better. Nevertheless, your content inspires me a lot, and I hope I could become as good as you are someday.
your way of storytelling is truly a captivating thing, something which you amaze me with every time. as a self-taught artist who's just finding their wings, i learn so much from every one of your videos and appreciate them so much~
the care that goes into everything that you do is so inspiring to me. I feel so lucky, really, to have found your channel. Its truly so much fun experiencing your content. Best wishes from my side, truly wish that your approach takes you places
I come back to this video more often that I should cuz it's simply majestic. I watched it first when I was starting my history major and it really shows how history can be explained and seen extremely different depending on which sourcers we use and how methiculous and investigator should truly be. This is a wonderful example of a well executed investigation.
As a French Revolution fan and an artist myself, I must say this is truly amazing! Trough graphic interpretation you make more than a great artistic exercise, this is a very good and accurate portrait of Robespierre's life and personality. Sadly he's massively misunderstood, and this kind of presentation is a great way to discover a honest and nuanced portrait. The neutral version is my favorite as a Robespierre enjoyer, it shows how Robespierre was a complex character, an intellectual and an idealistic fighter, with his own grey areas. Merci!
I'm a historian myself, currently pursuing my masters degree, and I must admit, I have never thought much about the historiography of Robespierre, because to me he seems like such an intuitive figure. Easy, in fact, to understand. His purported honesty and conviction, his reputation as austere yet somehow passionate, may sound like contradictions, but... these are all the qualities of scholar, as I have seen them to be. They are often by turns both excruciatingly dry and still clearly fiery within. This is especially the case for political theorists. Also, how can Robespierre believe so strongly in human rights, argue against the death penalty, and still preside over a reign of terror and thousands upon thousands of executions? How can he be a glimmering pillar of liberalism and also [arguably] history's first modern totalitarian? Well, these are the qualities of a revolutionary. Those who are the most passionate, and the most vulnerable to high minded altruistic love of ideals, as revolutionary political theorists so often are, also tend to be the most vulnerable to feelings of hate. For them the stakes of life are simply too high. Everything matters too much. Robespierre was incorruptible, right? Well, that means he was also uncompromising in his vision. I believe Robespierre thought that the public was too ignorant to realize his vision, and could not be taught to understand. If they would all just go along with his own ideas everyone would be better off, but of course they didn't. During Robespierre's administration, France was beset with internal revolt from the royalists and under attack from all sides by all the other nations of the Europe, which felt threatened by the Revolution. So I suppose Robespierre can be forgiven for feeling as though everyone was against him. So how does an idealistic revolutionary with absolute power, innumerably enemies, and a total unwillingness to compromise purely out of principle work to achieve his dreams? Well, he has to eliminate all of his enemies. All the people who can't be taught to understand, so that one day, everyone will be able to live in peace and harmony. To put it simply, Robespierre was a bleeding heart, wounded emotionally by the harsh realities of his time, and with a hot blooded predisposition to lash out. I always strongly disliked Robespierre as a man. I see the Reign of Terror as unforgiveable, to say nothing of his other unsound policies, which often wreak of obsession and paranoia. Even so, though, I do sometimes think of him [at the risk of sounding pretentious] as a bit of a kindred spirit.
Critical interpretations of Robespierre usually fail to acknowledge the context that led to the revolution and the dynamics of the revolution itself. In context, I think Robespierre was overall an admirable figure. The revolution unseated an unjust regime which was predicated on the ruthless exploitation of the vast majority of the population where masses fell to famine and daily violence. In the period preceding the Reign of Terror the proto capitalist elements which constituted the heart of the revolutionary regime continued to ignore or oppose the needs of the masses (the sans-culottes, which presage our modern middle and working classes.) The Jacobins came to power through the active integration of these lower classes into the struggle and into their government. This included fixing prices on essentials and raising wages which stopped the out of control conditions of poverty facing the lower classes. The more moderate revolutionary and counter revolutionary elements who were the primary victims of the terror wanted to restore a fundamentally unjust order which would lead too to deaths of a much greater scale than the Terror itself. Where Robespierre failed was in his half-heartedness in standing with the Sans-Culotte masses. This undermined his support and led to his downfall and with a new regime that attacked the lower classes. He also attacked the most revolutionary elements and included them among the victims of the terror which in my view was the greater crime. In a period of revolution the dynamics of a society become revealed out in the open for all the see. This means the daily passive violence of the system too emerges out in the open. The former passive violence appears to us justified or excusable because it is the normal state of things. However it is the latter active violence which can be justified because it take place to constitute a more just order with less passive violence once the revolutionary period is completed. If Robespierre is a villain it is because he couldn’t merge entirely behind the lower classes and their interests to build a better society and thus doomed things to going back to another form of exploitative society. On another note, I also find him sympathetic for his abolitionist attitude which was a rarity at the time and his pulling of support for the suppression of the Haitian slave revolution
Wow. Marxism à la carte. I hate this interpretation of the French Revolution, and respect it not at all. It discredits the events of the Revolution as a unique event by applying generic Marxist platitudes to it. There's more to history than the "class struggle," especially when we are talking about mostly or wholly preindustrial or precapitalistic societies. Call it my prejudice if you like, but I inherently despise the shoehorning of Marxist theory into every topic imaginable, since it seems to demonstrate a chronic inflexibility on academia's part, and a total unwillingness to understand concepts of culture, society, and indeed class, through anything other than a modern lens. It's obvious that you and Robespierre see eye to eye on a lot of things. You seem disturbingly willing to justify The Terror by dismissing its victims as "exploitive" or "counterrevolutionary." These are, of course, similar excuses to the ones which were used by Robespierre and his contemporaries, as well as practically all of history's greatest tyrants and monsters. But in practice, The Terror was nothing more than the product of delusional fantasies about an utopian society; the likes of which often tend to make radicals and idealists blind not only to the simple, unidyllic realities of establishing and maintaining a social order, but also to the realities which are much more plainly observable; the "situation on the ground," if you will. How can you speak of "passive violence" in good conscience when the alternative promoted by Robespierre's regime was unmitigated, continuous, active violence? A "witch hunt" against people who were born into the "wrong" part of social order, practiced the "wrong" religion, or otherwise held the "wrong" views of the world? Robespierre was an idealist, and therefore almost totally bereft or realism. When I say that I think I understand the kind of person he was, or even sympathize with him, do not presume that I view him or his defenders without contempt. Robespierre ran France into the ground, and if he had been allowed to continue, the persecutions only would have escalated. They always do. Robespierre's brand of revolutionaries are the kind of people who would reduce society to a desert and call it peace. They are also the kind of people who would make a corpse out of someone like me, since I am not at all willing to support a regime that sets out to use deadly force to destroy every element of the national character which is incompatible with the ideals of a handful of mad fantasists.
@@PsychedelicCoco Robespierre wasn’t ‘half-hearted’ in siding with the Sans-Culotte (who btw only reflected the views of Paris not France as a whole), he actively neutered and undermined them because they were a threat to his power. The Great Terror killed as many radical Parisian street leaders as it did suspected crypto-royalists and nobility. Robespierre, at the time of the terror, believed that everyone to political right of him was an evil treacherous royalist who wished to invite foreign armies to reimpose tyranny on France. And everyone to the left of him must be a liar who was using radical populism to undermine the legitimacy of the revolution with their self-destructive polices (for example, he opposed the anti-religion sentiment that was flaring up at the time) to further the agenda of the ‘foreign plot’ to hand France over to evil powers of the old European monarchies. His downfall came from a collation of men, from both the left & right, who feared that he was going to execute them for one reason or another. So they overthrew him to save their own lives. Okay this You Tube comment is probably not clearest explanation, but I hope I got my point across.
More people like you are needed , this year I became interested in history , I want to investigate this character , I really like how you include various aspects of his life and also how he came out , it 's so good.
I’m going to shamelessly gush over this as well. I’ve never seen this style of video essay that so seamlessly flows from research to application. It’s truly inspiring! I’d love to see you create more videos this way! Distilling your passion into these illustrations and animations is a very effective way of communicating that appreciation and understanding to the viewer. I love seeing art being used as a means of exploring and understanding the world a little bit more. And your work is simply gorgeous, with a keen eye for design!
Your content is so criminally underrated it’s painful. A gorgeous blend of insightful and original, appealing narrative and charming visuals make this mesmerising.
As somebody who loves studying the French Revolution and Napoleonic wars this video is just amazing at teaching and presenting how the populace of France wore their clothing and just how they all had to express using their fashion and the amazing history behind it.
This is such a gorgeous, well rounded presentation--rather inspiring! Your knowledge of both artistic and historical language really shines through with each new slide, and I sincerely adored every little moment of detail and care that went into each point. After studying the French Revolution in a college class, I really appreciated your multifaceted approach to Robespierre. He was a seriously complicated man, and representing him in three ways makes a great point about how odd of a human he was. I don't think the scope was too big--rather, I think it was a great overview of a specific person, something like a well written essay that makes the viewer hungry to learn more about the topic. If you like the French Revolution, I highly recommend the book Twelve Who Ruled--it paints some interesting pictures of the figures you discussed! Looking forward to more content like this, it's a fantastic combination of the arts and interesting historical knowledge.
this video is such a gem! i love how dynamic your art is, and how it compliments the very mutable perception of robespierre. i don’t actually know much about this period in time, really i only know about the fashion, but your ability to join fashion AND the person as an artist is something that i have always envied as a writer. love this video so much
I absolutely love the fact how big the research for those drawings was. I always feel intimidated by drawings touching hard themes like history, because I'm sure i'll get everything wrong. I'm scared that I don't remember something correctly or my source of information isn't trustworthy. Maby I should sometimes try making art like this and do good research
Perhaps. Extra research is always a good thing, and it should be aspired to. However the more stylized the art, the less that historical details can reasonably be nitpicked. That said, little details add much more depth, and the more realistic the style, the more that accurate historical portrayal matters.
The art is so beautiful, I love the designs and colors and styles!! The animation made my jaw drop it was amazing to see how smoothly they transitioned, and how the movements reflected the personalities!! I love this video so so much
Why this make me so emotional? I really love the way you left his portrayal up to interpretation but also gave light into what he was like, thank you I've always loved Robespierre and his character not because I think has a good person but because he is a great example of how history isn't black and white... some people will view him as an angelic figure who saved France but others will see him as one who doomed France and became everything he hated and both are partially true. Either way great video on a complicated person with absolutely beautiful artwork.
I can't describe the sense of peace this whole video brings me. I remember it had appear on my recommended videos years ago, but it never quite catched my eye until one day I gave it a try. The way the stuff it's explained, expressing details about the era, the way you illustrate the process of character design, it's pure talent. This video always accompanies me on days I feel lost.
This is the most fascinating and well presented videos about art and the creative process I have ever seen. I loved the academic explanations and the reasoning behind your decisions. The explanations made it feel like I knew why every design choice felt a certain way (me being a non-artist was amazing to watch and understand). I really feel like I have a far more concreate understanding of the reasoning behind artistic choices, beyond vague and abstract notions. This video deserves way more attention, and please make more of these!!!
this video feels like a surgery - so detailed, dedicated and with a huge amount of love and effort put into it. This is my first time watching your videos and I think I have experienced the pure happiness in finding something that's truly precious and one of a kind. :)
This is amazing! The animation left me speechless, I wasn't ready for it! I think the scope of the video fits pefectly with what you did with your channel 'til now, all your video always have "breath" to them and never feel to condensed or heavy, so it would be interesting to see more longer video if doable
Lemoncholy, you haven’t posted in years, but gosh. Your videos are excellent. Your voice, music, writing, and graphics tie together so nicely, like its own frilly ribbon. Thanks for bringing such a lovely piece of media into the world.
i always drop whatever i'm doing to watch your videos! i absolutely adore how thorough your creation process is and how you excellently edit your videos (with the perfect choice of music and presentation). every time i watch your videos, i get a boost of inspiration and a reminder of why i love art so much
This has become one of my favorite videos on RUclips, sometimes i am looking for inspiration or just energy to continue drawing, and this video is the answer most of the time, how you can portray character and illustration creation so beautifully, the music, your voice. Everything is so well-made and interesting, constantly waiting for your next upload. Good luck and thank you so much
As an artist, lover of history, and someone who absolutely adores seeing peoples' processes of creation, this was so so so enjoyable to watch. I love how you integrated history with art because this was such an amazing presentation. The designs are wonderful and you have a really beautiful art style. I wouldn't be surprised if you became an art teacher. You're so good at explaining things in detail!
It's safe to say this is one of the most original and entertaining educational videos on a historical person, fashion and art. As an art historian and a cultural anthropologist I believe this way of presenting and educating to be the future! The whole secret of transmitting knowledge about the past is being able to do it through a modern medium and current understanding which you did perfectly. Please consider making more videos like this one, I am a 100% sure you're onto something...revolutionary! 😉
Your videos are always a joy to watch- beautifully illustrated, beautifully explained and beautifully presented. The way you stylised your character designs has made me want to research the fashions of this era more! I love how you made three versions to fully explore his character. And that animation at the end took me completely by surprise- I had to rewind and rewatch it several times to appreciate it. The work you put into these videos is so clear in the final product. I enjoyed every minute and I'd be delighted to watch more videos like this if you made them!
This video was so stunning to watch and felt so informative and well researched! I am absolutely floored by how much thought and detail you put into your character analysis, and the results are not only beautiful but also so full of life. I would really love to see more of this style of video in the future, I think you did a really fantastic job with it!
oh my god. i can’t believe i haven’t seen this sooner. i used to get this video in my recommendations all the time, but then i wasn’t sure why i did, because it was neither particularly new or relevant to my watch history. i just remember thinking it seemed amazing. now i’ve gotten into the french revolution, particularly the terror, through a different vein, and i sometimes listen to youtube documentaries or informational videos for background noise. i constantly slandered and complained about their bias, inaccuracies, how they were so adamant about slandering and lying about history and its people despite talking about about how they violated humanity. then i remembered this video. it’s so, so good. and i knew this artist! i love them too. it gives, though of course biased for bias can never be rid, an honest and loving explanation of history. it cares for truth and beauty over following some reactionary status quo. i love this video. thank you so much.
I've lost track of how many times I've rewatched this This is just such an entertaining and informative video! And the art is some of the most aesthetically pleasing I've seen You've merged two of my favorite topics(character design and history) in the best way possible and have also made me, a young artist who also enjoys drawing historical figures, alot more confident to take artistic liberties in how I draw them Both you and Janelle are talented as hell and I hope you could make similar content in the future
This format was very fit to present these more academic disciplines. You did a wonderful job, alterning outside elements with your drawings and changing very frequently the type of presentation (i dunno how to call it) made it very appealing and never boring! It's always so good to watch your videos, thanks for the effort. ❤️
This video keeps on going on my FYP page no matter what. It's been like this for months on end, on every device. RUclips keeps recommending this video, and only now am i actually going to watch it.
This is an incredible video. This feels like an extremely unique and well done interpretation of the video essay sphere of RUclips, combined with art and animation.
As someone who just had to do a presentation abt art and the French revolution I wanna say It was the best time I had while learning abt what happened then..I really enjoyed reading many documents so I can gather many informations to tell my other classmates ❤
Please do one of these on Greek mythology. I found your style of presenting and talking about these topics so captivating and interesting even though before clicking on this video I was unsure as I’m not bothered about history at all but having information presented to me in this way, it makes me look forward to learning
without a doubt one of my new favorite videos of yours. everything about the way you present the art, information, and process is astounding. i'm only part of the audience and yet i feel engaged just watching. you and janelle did an amazing job with this, and i'm so glad for the collaboration because without it, i wouldn't have been introduced to their work. as always, i'll be coming back to your channel whenever i'm in search of inspiration. :)
oh my gosh I just gotta say that final animation blew my mind! I love how you presented the history as well as the art. The aesthetic and feel of the video was very comforting as well as not too distracting and easy to follow. I've seen this video on my recommended many times but I have put it off until now, and I am so glad I watched it now! From a character design perspective, this was very enlightening. I feel inspired to do character designs after having been in a art block for a while ^^ Thank you so much for this video!
NOW, THIS! THIS is what the internet needs! Amazing content and wonderful way of presenting it. THANK you so much for the video, the inspiration, and the entertainment.
This video was unusual for me to make: it was an attempt to integrate art with more academic disciplines, but it was also about getting a chance to collaborate with an artist I admire. I tried something new, but I'm not sure if the format worked. Was the scope too big? Was it interesting to watch? I'd love to hear your thoughts (because I really enjoyed putting this together and hope to continue making vids that are more than just drawing tips).
This video perfectly summarizes my philosophy on what makes a good video. Give them audience something so you can do your own thing! Like you teaching us about character design and history so you can collaborate with someone you admire. I’d love to see more videos in this kind of vain! It seems perfect for you.
This was amazing to watch, so many designs, so much to look at, so many thoughts, wonderful! I'd be thrilled to see more videos like this in the future :D
WOW, wow, wow! What an interesting and really engaging way of bringing history to light and life! Very well done! I loved it and found it inspiring and worthy of note.
Video was AMAZING. I wish i could make videos of this quality.
It was absolutely wonderful to watch! I think the scope was good especially since you clearly cut it up into parts. And I was able to learn about something that I wasn't familiar with which was really cool! I love how much thought goes into the poses to represent character, That's something I would love to represent in my art too! Fabulous work~ Thank you Michelle and Janelle!
"he looked like a cat drinking vinegar" I'm obsessed with this description
This also stuck in my mind.
Such a beautiful description
Just found out cats are given cider vinegar as a cure for mange and other illnesses and when they drink it they look like they're sadly wincing, I was expecting a more disgusted expression XD.
Same, I imagined that banana kitten meme where the kitten is disgusted by a banana@@viktoriabentham8664
The evil design is so hauntingly beautiful and simple, y'all are geniuses
This is what Christmas must feel like.
Somehow i agree
Somehow yes
Christmas in summer!
christmas as a kid.
Whatcha mean
I am literally in love with your style of presenting.
I second this!
what does she use for edit?
IKR SAME
I'm so happy that these videos are giving me a chance to combine all my interests + that the format is working for you guys.
@em j I use Premiere Pro. Sometimes, I'll dabble with After Effects for more visually complex shots.
I THIRD THIS COMPLETELY
If Robespierre's life was fiction, it would probably be considered an excellent and almost textbook literary tragedy. That it actually happened in real life, how someone who once opposed the death penalty instituted the Terror, how an avowed pacifist eventually presided over what was the largest war in history at the time, how a simple lawyer along with the people of France toppled a thousand year old tyrannical institution in 3 years just to be called tyrant himself, and how at the very end he was robbed of the voice that made his career, is something that's almost too extraordinary to be true. In the end though despite everything I have to go with Napoleon's judgement that he did emerge superior to the throng and essentially saved the revolution from disintegration. Anyone who can steer a nation through a chaotic year like 1793 when France had to fight a European war and civil war at the same time and somehow have the nation emerge even stronger has my grudging respect
Incredibly underrated comment
Yes…let’s forget all the innocent people he killed for disagreeing with him. Maybe we should talk about hitler next… a misunderstood wanna be artist who fought for his country against the unfairness of the contract of Versailles made by the allies have WW 1 that was ruining Germany. 🙄
Read books and you will understand why the Comitee of Public Safety ( Robespierre was only a member) had to launch the terror.
The only issue I have with your comment is that the king wasn't a tyrant, and France would only recover from those events under Napoleon III, 40 years later
@@Kenfren sorry but you didnt understand. Robespierre and St Just were clear : it is not the PERSON of the king that is at stake, but the MONARCHY in itself. The monarchy was unable to destroy its inner tyranny... It was a tyrannic system ! Do you get it? Every attempt to reform it was unsuccessful ! The execution of Louis XVI was an absolute must not because ofthe personnality ofthe King but because it was the only WAY to crush this tyrannic system !
I'm just so happy that this video now exists
yes, the format worked a treat. I'd love to see more like this!
I swear why aren't you verified yet
Howard!!!!!
HOWARD!!! HOW ARE YOU?! :D
hell yeah!!! More of thisss kind of content!!!
@@randomrandle9141
True
this video is INSANE i feel like i should be paying for this
But when broke....
Agree
FR
For real
Yeah!
Your "Good" design for him makes him seem like Anna from Frozen. Curious, joyful, ever the optimist. It feels so different when compared to his "Evil" design, which gives off a feeling of being in a dramatic horror novel from the early 1800's. Its like I'm looking at a perfect representation of Jekyll and Hyde. One side looking pure and kind, but underneath is a dark, cruel, murderous personality that only his victims see. I love the representation you use in your art, and your style of art is elegant and beautiful as well. I would love to see this as a TV show.
As a history major, I come back to this video every so often. Not only do you possess a great style of presenting and teaching, it's one of the most beautiful and expert ways to meld two different content areas. The expert way in which you detail different artists perspectives on a historic figure is so fascinating. You're very well spoken, and well organized. Everything is clean, clear-cut, and your process is very thorough. It makes me feel as though I am watching a master artist crafting something extraordinary. What excitement, what beauty!
Exactly! This is the right way to educate people
^^PERFECTLY SAID! this is truly a work of art!
Yup! As someone who has a BA in history I second all this!
As an art history major, I agree 100%. 10/10 I wish some of my professors were as well spoken, organised and dynamic in their presenting of content. Sending this to the class group chat. They're gonna love it.
The Evil Robespierre's cape concealing a rich, royal, red lining actually plays really well into how he's often (mis)characterised by those who see him as The Villain - a man pretending to adhere to progressive ideals, while becoming the very type of despotic leader he had condemned. In a story leaning towards this narrative, this visual element would illustrate his betrayal of the revolution's beliefs. Just a cool thing I noticed
He still murdered thousands of people
@@LynnHermione The American Revolution was a lot more bloody than the French but you don't see the "revolution betrayed" narrative being applied to the Founding Fathers. The whole mythos around Robbespiere was created after his death, mostly by those who had reasons to dislike him, the newly empowered royals. Don't forget that most of what we, as average people, know about historic figures is based on propaganda.
@@mynamejeff3545 to be fair the American revolution was more a external war, due to the fact it was the american colonists vs the Britain empire, it made sense for it to be more bloody. In that sense it was a bit more straightforward. The french on the other hand was alot more of a political change internally with more "non-combatants" (for lack of a better word) killed, through trials. Im not sure if comparing the two is completely right.
@@LynnHermione ain’t every leader with good intentions always get corrupted by absolute power? No one is safe from this , he is the same to other leader out there, no different. The thing is his action didn’t bleed out of Paris and engulfed all of France back then. He evil no doubt but he is tame from what our history had created after him.
@@faulergeist4159 The monarchist regime in power was violent against the peasantry in their subjucation of that class. That's reason enough to rid the country of 'non-combatant' parasites.
Im a teacher, and this level of instruction is incredibly beautiful and interesting. This is history as it should be, can be, ambitiously taught. I aspire to be close
I lowkey wanna see a Marie Antoinette version of this... the three versions could be like the gorgeous glutton for luxury items, the simple 'country girl' deluding herself in her personal farmhouse in midst of the Revolution, and the true version who was a misunderstood lonely princess who wanted to live her life regardless of the strict social structure that Versailles thrusted upon her
Amazing video btw! I love how dramatic the evil ver is with Louboutin cape
The true version of her also plotted to undermine the revolution. She wasn't an evil glutton but she was certainly more than just a misunderstood princess
A Marie Antionette version would be AMAZING. It would fit perfectly.
You've just given me a new project
i must go
We literally NEED more shows, movies, and animations set in the 1700s because that time was such an interesting time with the fashion, art, etc. I would love to see shows that show the daily life of people in that time, the rich, poor, whatever, because theres NOTHING that could make you bored when it comes to fancy gentlemen and ladies with 10 feet tall hair😚
Its extremely expensive to produce cartoons at most you will get fan made productions. Maybe Europe will do it bit America is more interested in 3D than 2D animation.
If you like this aesthetics, I recommend checking out this cool webcomic called Tiger, Tiger it has a great continuous story and beautiful art to accompany it. 😍
I would love to see more media of it too. I love learning the historical events (good and bad), the everyday life, and the fashion of that era.
@@rargnari2606 I agree wholeheartedly, especially since that time period was known for its sense of "romance": what I mean is epic wars such as Bolivars Wars against the Spanish, The Haitian Revolution, The French Revolution, etc
@@mylesjude233 Yes! Me too! That whole time frame is just my favorite ever🙌❤ It's just so epic, the way the underdogs of society can change the course of well the majority of humanity.
i love how this video promotes the message that history isn't a one-sided story. it's a complex one full of diverse characters with rich backgrounds and reasons behind their actions that we cannot completely articulate. nobody is truly a villain in history; like you said, it's the most well known but least understood that are portrayed this way. every person has a bad side and a good side. Not only that, but the presence of a "neutral" side allows us to find balance between different elements of our background, experienced and personality while reflecting who we truly are, what we aspire to be, and the things we've done.
this video fits my niche perfectly - its got history, historical fashion, character design, animation, pretty much everything im interested in. if i were to make a yt channel i would want to make videos like this. i would love to see this become a series, if you’re interested in making more!
omg same, this is all my interests in one video and I love it so much
Oooo, yusss please!!! You should definitely make a channel!!
Same here, I would love more of this!
Same. I love this video so much
Yeah this was so unbelievably entertaining for so many reasons
Janelle’s work is so out of this world, I’ve been in love with it ever since the Warm Welcome short film! I’ve never seen people draw characters with such elegance :D
I am literally crying thank you! ; w ;
i’m in NEED for more of these type of “art process + history” videos 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏
Man, im stunned. this was such a cinematic masterpiece. art, information, audio, editing, just everything was amazing! you are such a blessing and one of my fav content creators. this format is also so creative and fresh, a feast for both intellect and artists. its also great to see an artist who doesnt shy away from putting in the proper research and actually seems to be interested in acquiring knowledge since theres usually this stereotype of artists being bad at school :-p i would LOVE more videos like these!
It's interesting that the "neutral" form you settled on is a cool jade colour, an opposite to the hues of red used in both good and evil. It really makes the two sides stand out, yet, look somewhat similar in their colours at least. Cool!
The way you tell his story, The research, THE ART, MY GOD THE STORYTELLING IN THE ART
This is the kind of videos that should be shown to first time people on RUclips. To show that this place isn’t as terrible as it seems. This place can hold great beauty and passion if you know where to look. The amount of work that these people put into a single video astounds me. If more people on RUclips put as much work as you do into your videos RUclips would be significantly better.
Boo
Wtf
@@FirstnameLastname-yk2js wdym wtf? there are just telling facts :/
@@citrusblast4372 why so?
Exactly!
I can't be the only one who after watching this is wondering why animated historical dramas aren't more of a thing?
probably takes a lot of time to animate more then a tshirt and shorts
It’s a question of target demographic and if there’s a good story to be told. Unfortunately, even that isn’t a golden ticket for executives and investors.
I feel like I’ve watched a fair share as a child, mostly American propaganda however (like Liberty Kids). Usually there’d be some element of a child time traveling to meet historical figures more intimately.
As for nowadays, there are quite a few Japanese ones, I recommend Vinland Saga (follows the story of Thorfinn), it is VERY well made and I 100% recommend it as a Daneslaw enthusiast.
There’s also the Rose of Versailles, which is a much more dated adaptation (1970s) but is beloved nonetheless. It’s a staple within works specifically appealing to a more female audience, and it’s full of drama, suspense, and theatrical whimsy. It’s an interesting watch, and I’d argue even more than the media itself, it’s influence is key and it remains one of the most famous historical recreations to have ever been created.
I know, right? As long as they are historically accurate enough as to not spread misinformation lol
@@chew7656 INNOCENT IS GOOOD
it's been two years, and still, nothing can beat the quality of this video.
As someone who loves history and is a visual learner this is really interesting to watch. Also love the thumbnail art. ✨❤
i just wanted to say that the art style used here is simply gorgeous
it's inspiring me so much i just don't know how to explain
props to the artist :D
Ngl same, it just looks so pretty!!!
@@jaded2525 its a masterpiece! :3
I love the style too.
This video is SO aesthetically pleasing and interesting loved every second of it please make more like this one !!!
" and france was undergoing... a rather *violent* identity crisis "
just gold. as long as this video- the blending of academics with your storytelling techniques? perfect.
OH THE ANIMATION AT THE END WAS BEAUTIFULL IM IN LOVEE
I KNOW RIGHT IT'S SO FULL OF CHARACTER AND SO F L U I D LIKE HOLY SHIT BURY ME PLS
Jzjxshs Sameee
I must say, as a history buff and aspiring writer with no sense of fashion, I applaud your ability to seamlessly blend personal psychology and historiography with fashion while keeping it engaging and informative for laymen like myself. This is a masterclass in thought process, collaboration, and execution through and through. Obviously, it’s your channel and you can do what you like, but I’d love to see more profiles of this sort for people ranging from Machiavelli and Shakespeare to Ibn Battuta and Ashoka.
Either way, fantastic job!
I like how almost all of them have sort of bird like vibes, Good is, as you said, like a pidgeon and more innocent. But in Evil I got raven or crow-like vibes, very thin and brooding and an almost beak-like face.
I'd love to see these designs in a historical show, basically showing Robespierre starting off as a hero, but becomes the villain as the series goes on
And she strikes again! Gorgeous in every single way, this video just makes me want to pick up my pencil and draw! It's stunningly educational, both in terms of the history surrounding Robespierre and how character design influences the way we look at said character. Combine that with a soothing voice, two very very skilled hands and Louie Zong's incredible sound, and there you go, 15 minutes and 8 seconds of my time fantastically well-spent!
The reveal of the Neutral ✨Main Character✨ Robespierre between the Twisted and Romantic types was so visually pleasing, many thanks! This was so stunning!
Wheres ur pfp from
@@mickling Jellyfish Lake, Palau
En tant que français passionné par la période révolutionnaire, je ne peux que m'enthousiasmer pour votre projet! Les trois versions de Robespierre sont magnifiques et je trouve que la version neutre est la plus aboutie.
Félicitation pour votre travail passionné, votre art est magnifique , ravi que vous le mettiez au service de l'histoire de France!
Red was actually a pretty popular and common colour among the lower classes during the 18th century, the warm colour was thought to bring warmth and health to the wearer. If his coat lining was dyed with madder he would have been able to affort it.
The feather- weapon detail was exquisite.
I always come back to this video, because this video is just absolutely beautiful. Storytelling and art wise, I love the connection between telling Robespierre different lives with art, showing all sides of the story, while bringing history into of this.
As a history buff, and an artist, my mouth drops every time I watch this video. It’s just beautifully handcrafted.
This video and this character remind me of a manga I read called Innocent. The story follows a man from a family of executioners and takes place In France during the time of Marie Antoinette. The ending wasn’t the best but I enjoyed the read and recommend it for anyone who enjoys historical story’s.
+ The artwork of this manga is absolutely stunning ! There is also a very nice and well edited video on RUclips about the creator of this manga that I highly recommend ! Let me find it...
ruclips.net/video/TDpn9fdsRbY/видео.html There you go ! :D
@@Mlle.Lamarin wow thanks! I’ll be sure to watch this.
Lol, there literally was page from manga in last minute :D
Author's style looks a bit weird for first readers but amount of details is INSANE👏
As french person who's not really into history, you almost make me want to know more about my country.
The presentation, your sweet voice, your style, the color you use... it's delightful ! 🌸
Je suis française et je fais des études d'histoire, j'ai vraiment passé un moment incroyable devant cette vidéo
Almost? Why WOULDN'T you want to know more about your own country?
@@LordVader1094 It's his right, he likes what he wants, and if he's watched this video it means he's not hermetic either
Presque????? Honteux!
@@LordVader1094 C’mon, chances are you don’t dive deep into your own country’s history.
I was born and still live in Arras, Robespierre's hometown, (his house is now a museum !) He is such an important yet controversial figure here, and I'm sad that the French don't really have a good understanding of English because your video is so cool and so interesting and it deserves to be shared, especially with the people of Arras! Keep up the good work this is amazing !
It was such a lovely collab experience and seeing the reception makes me so relieved. What better ways to remember 10 Thermidor than seeing people learning its complexity through an untraditional form. Thank you again for reading my way-to-long essays and offering this chance to collaborate.
Also, I highly recommend everyone to check out the Further Reading hehe
Oh smiley I have already said everything that I've needed to say to you but thank you for agreeing to this in the first place. I loved learning with and from you, and I'm glad we were able to experiment with something a bit more unconventional.
If you happen to be reading this thread, do take a gander at the further reading.
Fun fact, my dad used to tell me that our name, Robe, is actually the remain of the Robespierre family, who change their name after the révolution... I am pretty much ashamed of this, since Robespierre was not quite à great person, and i actually went pretty surpised that you talked about him ! Anyway, i love your art obviously, thank you for this superb video ! :)
woah seriously?
Woaaahh. Holy shit.
Thats so cool
Think of the positive side, you belong in the bloodline of one of the most influential and recognisable french historical figures! No need to be ashamed of your ancestors, because they do not define you or your generation; only theirs. What’s wonderful is that you can say where your family comes from and recognise both the accomplishments and the mistakes of the past, which is great for everybody no matter what their roots.
@@goshujinsama666 that's a great way to look at it! I kind of wish we can know who our ancestors were one by one, so i can know what history is in my own bloodline
I would make a historic impact if it means getting an aesthetic documentary like this
Can you imagine how amazing it would be to see someone dressed in clothes like this? I would lose my mind admiring everyone's beauty!
Same! I Really want to where it everyday but I’ll definitely get some mixed looks from people maybe some people in awe others in disgust and definitely some who are just wondering what I’m wearing😅
@@lieutenantaustin7960 So? Don’t let other peoples negative opinions reflect on the way you want to carry out each day! If you want to dress like this, no-one’s stopping you! I personally think you’d look pretty damn fashionable! :D
I absolutely LOVED this video, the approach and choices made to design a character, the history facts and every single bit of information you gave us! as someone who found it impossible to understand and concentrate during history lessons when I was a teen, this was such a pleasure to watch, I felt like you grabbed my attention completely, I would love to see more videos like this in the future! love it!
I'm really, really happy that you felt this way. It was a challenge trying to figure out how we could present history in a way that felt accessible, and I'm definitely encouraged by your feedback to keep making vids like this ^^
These character designs videos might be the best ones I´ve ever seen in RUclips. There´s literally no way to explain how these videos make me feel. Not just the talent you have to thoroughly create such stunning characters with loads of details, or your PRECIOUS style, but also the way you explain the whole process with great passion.
It reflects the fervor you put into your designs. I wish I could express myself better. Nevertheless, your content inspires me a lot, and I hope I could become as good as you are someday.
your way of storytelling is truly a captivating thing, something which you amaze me with every time. as a self-taught artist who's just finding their wings, i learn so much from every one of your videos and appreciate them so much~
All the best with your art journey! Fly high ;)
the care that goes into everything that you do is so inspiring to me. I feel so lucky, really, to have found your channel. Its truly so much fun experiencing your content. Best wishes from my side, truly wish that your approach takes you places
I come back to this video more often that I should cuz it's simply majestic. I watched it first when I was starting my history major and it really shows how history can be explained and seen extremely different depending on which sourcers we use and how methiculous and investigator should truly be. This is a wonderful example of a well executed investigation.
As a French Revolution fan and an artist myself, I must say this is truly amazing! Trough graphic interpretation you make more than a great artistic exercise, this is a very good and accurate portrait of Robespierre's life and personality. Sadly he's massively misunderstood, and this kind of presentation is a great way to discover a honest and nuanced portrait. The neutral version is my favorite as a Robespierre enjoyer, it shows how Robespierre was a complex character, an intellectual and an idealistic fighter, with his own grey areas. Merci!
I'm a historian myself, currently pursuing my masters degree, and I must admit, I have never thought much about the historiography of Robespierre, because to me he seems like such an intuitive figure. Easy, in fact, to understand.
His purported honesty and conviction, his reputation as austere yet somehow passionate, may sound like contradictions, but... these are all the qualities of scholar, as I have seen them to be. They are often by turns both excruciatingly dry and still clearly fiery within. This is especially the case for political theorists.
Also, how can Robespierre believe so strongly in human rights, argue against the death penalty, and still preside over a reign of terror and thousands upon thousands of executions? How can he be a glimmering pillar of liberalism and also [arguably] history's first modern totalitarian? Well, these are the qualities of a revolutionary. Those who are the most passionate, and the most vulnerable to high minded altruistic love of ideals, as revolutionary political theorists so often are, also tend to be the most vulnerable to feelings of hate. For them the stakes of life are simply too high. Everything matters too much.
Robespierre was incorruptible, right? Well, that means he was also uncompromising in his vision. I believe Robespierre thought that the public was too ignorant to realize his vision, and could not be taught to understand. If they would all just go along with his own ideas everyone would be better off, but of course they didn't.
During Robespierre's administration, France was beset with internal revolt from the royalists and under attack from all sides by all the other nations of the Europe, which felt threatened by the Revolution. So I suppose Robespierre can be forgiven for feeling as though everyone was against him.
So how does an idealistic revolutionary with absolute power, innumerably enemies, and a total unwillingness to compromise purely out of principle work to achieve his dreams? Well, he has to eliminate all of his enemies. All the people who can't be taught to understand, so that one day, everyone will be able to live in peace and harmony.
To put it simply, Robespierre was a bleeding heart, wounded emotionally by the harsh realities of his time, and with a hot blooded predisposition to lash out.
I always strongly disliked Robespierre as a man. I see the Reign of Terror as unforgiveable, to say nothing of his other unsound policies, which often wreak of obsession and paranoia. Even so, though, I do sometimes think of him [at the risk of sounding pretentious] as a bit of a kindred spirit.
Critical interpretations of Robespierre usually fail to acknowledge the context that led to the revolution and the dynamics of the revolution itself. In context, I think Robespierre was overall an admirable figure. The revolution unseated an unjust regime which was predicated on the ruthless exploitation of the vast majority of the population where masses fell to famine and daily violence.
In the period preceding the Reign of Terror the proto capitalist elements which constituted the heart of the revolutionary regime continued to ignore or oppose the needs of the masses (the sans-culottes, which presage our modern middle and working classes.)
The Jacobins came to power through the active integration of these lower classes into the struggle and into their government. This included fixing prices on essentials and raising wages which stopped the out of control conditions of poverty facing the lower classes. The more moderate revolutionary and counter revolutionary elements who were the primary victims of the terror wanted to restore a fundamentally unjust order which would lead too to deaths of a much greater scale than the Terror itself.
Where Robespierre failed was in his half-heartedness in standing with the Sans-Culotte masses. This undermined his support and led to his downfall and with a new regime that attacked the lower classes. He also attacked the most revolutionary elements and included them among the victims of the terror which in my view was the greater crime.
In a period of revolution the dynamics of a society become revealed out in the open for all the see. This means the daily passive violence of the system too emerges out in the open. The former passive violence appears to us justified or excusable because it is the normal state of things. However it is the latter active violence which can be justified because it take place to constitute a more just order with less passive violence once the revolutionary period is completed.
If Robespierre is a villain it is because he couldn’t merge entirely behind the lower classes and their interests to build a better society and thus doomed things to going back to another form of exploitative society.
On another note, I also find him sympathetic for his abolitionist attitude which was a rarity at the time and his pulling of support for the suppression of the Haitian slave revolution
Wow. Marxism à la carte.
I hate this interpretation of the French Revolution, and respect it not at all. It discredits the events of the Revolution as a unique event by applying generic Marxist platitudes to it.
There's more to history than the "class struggle," especially when we are talking about mostly or wholly preindustrial or precapitalistic societies.
Call it my prejudice if you like, but I inherently despise the shoehorning of Marxist theory into every topic imaginable, since it seems to demonstrate a chronic inflexibility on academia's part, and a total unwillingness to understand concepts of culture, society, and indeed class, through anything other than a modern lens.
It's obvious that you and Robespierre see eye to eye on a lot of things. You seem disturbingly willing to justify The Terror by dismissing its victims as "exploitive" or "counterrevolutionary." These are, of course, similar excuses to the ones which were used by Robespierre and his contemporaries, as well as practically all of history's greatest tyrants and monsters. But in practice, The Terror was nothing more than the product of delusional fantasies about an utopian society; the likes of which often tend to make radicals and idealists blind not only to the simple, unidyllic realities of establishing and maintaining a social order, but also to the realities which are much more plainly observable; the "situation on the ground," if you will.
How can you speak of "passive violence" in good conscience when the alternative promoted by Robespierre's regime was unmitigated, continuous, active violence? A "witch hunt" against people who were born into the "wrong" part of social order, practiced the "wrong" religion, or otherwise held the "wrong" views of the world?
Robespierre was an idealist, and therefore almost totally bereft or realism. When I say that I think I understand the kind of person he was, or even sympathize with him, do not presume that I view him or his defenders without contempt. Robespierre ran France into the ground, and if he had been allowed to continue, the persecutions only would have escalated. They always do.
Robespierre's brand of revolutionaries are the kind of people who would reduce society to a desert and call it peace. They are also the kind of people who would make a corpse out of someone like me, since I am not at all willing to support a regime that sets out to use deadly force to destroy every element of the national character which is incompatible with the ideals of a handful of mad fantasists.
@@Nikolapoleon Libertines get guillotines.
@@PsychedelicCoco Robespierre wasn’t ‘half-hearted’ in siding with the Sans-Culotte (who btw only reflected the views of Paris not France as a whole), he actively neutered and undermined them because they were a threat to his power. The Great Terror killed as many radical Parisian street leaders as it did suspected crypto-royalists and nobility.
Robespierre, at the time of the terror, believed that everyone to political right of him was an evil treacherous royalist who wished to invite foreign armies to reimpose tyranny on France. And everyone to the left of him must be a liar who was using radical populism to undermine the legitimacy of the revolution with their self-destructive polices (for example, he opposed the anti-religion sentiment that was flaring up at the time) to further the agenda of the ‘foreign plot’ to hand France over to evil powers of the old European monarchies.
His downfall came from a collation of men, from both the left & right, who feared that he was going to execute them for one reason or another. So they overthrew him to save their own lives.
Okay this You Tube comment is probably not clearest explanation, but I hope I got my point across.
More people like you are needed , this year I became interested in history , I want to investigate this character , I really like how you include various aspects of his life and also how he came out , it 's so good.
The fact that you posted the video on July 27th is genius (the day he was arrested).
I’m going to shamelessly gush over this as well. I’ve never seen this style of video essay that so seamlessly flows from research to application. It’s truly inspiring! I’d love to see you create more videos this way! Distilling your passion into these illustrations and animations is a very effective way of communicating that appreciation and understanding to the viewer. I love seeing art being used as a means of exploring and understanding the world a little bit more. And your work is simply gorgeous, with a keen eye for design!
Your content is so criminally underrated it’s painful. A gorgeous blend of insightful and original, appealing narrative and charming visuals make this mesmerising.
As somebody who loves studying the French Revolution and Napoleonic wars this video is just amazing at teaching and presenting how the populace of France wore their clothing and just how they all had to express using their fashion and the amazing history behind it.
I would kill to bring back this style of fashion, especially for men
But
@@user-xh6ju3pg8c but what?
@@marie5349 but
Okay...
sameeee
This is such a gorgeous, well rounded presentation--rather inspiring! Your knowledge of both artistic and historical language really shines through with each new slide, and I sincerely adored every little moment of detail and care that went into each point. After studying the French Revolution in a college class, I really appreciated your multifaceted approach to Robespierre. He was a seriously complicated man, and representing him in three ways makes a great point about how odd of a human he was.
I don't think the scope was too big--rather, I think it was a great overview of a specific person, something like a well written essay that makes the viewer hungry to learn more about the topic. If you like the French Revolution, I highly recommend the book Twelve Who Ruled--it paints some interesting pictures of the figures you discussed! Looking forward to more content like this, it's a fantastic combination of the arts and interesting historical knowledge.
I’m genuinely in love with how you meld history and art like this. You’re my favourite to listen to!
this video is such a gem! i love how dynamic your art is, and how it compliments the very mutable perception of robespierre. i don’t actually know much about this period in time, really i only know about the fashion, but your ability to join fashion AND the person as an artist is something that i have always envied as a writer. love this video so much
I absolutely love the fact how big the research for those drawings was. I always feel intimidated by drawings touching hard themes like history, because I'm sure i'll get everything wrong. I'm scared that I don't remember something correctly or my source of information isn't trustworthy. Maby I should sometimes try making art like this and do good research
Perhaps. Extra research is always a good thing, and it should be aspired to. However the more stylized the art, the less that historical details can reasonably be nitpicked. That said, little details add much more depth, and the more realistic the style, the more that accurate historical portrayal matters.
The art is so beautiful, I love the designs and colors and styles!! The animation made my jaw drop it was amazing to see how smoothly they transitioned, and how the movements reflected the personalities!! I love this video so so much
Why this make me so emotional? I really love the way you left his portrayal up to interpretation but also gave light into what he was like, thank you I've always loved Robespierre and his character not because I think has a good person but because he is a great example of how history isn't black and white... some people will view him as an angelic figure who saved France but others will see him as one who doomed France and became everything he hated and both are partially true. Either way great video on a complicated person with absolutely beautiful artwork.
I haven't felt this inspired by an artist and an artists presentation in years. Thank you.
I can't describe the sense of peace this whole video brings me. I remember it had appear on my recommended videos years ago, but it never quite catched my eye until one day I gave it a try. The way the stuff it's explained, expressing details about the era, the way you illustrate the process of character design, it's pure talent. This video always accompanies me on days I feel lost.
This is the most fascinating and well presented videos about art and the creative process I have ever seen. I loved the academic explanations and the reasoning behind your decisions. The explanations made it feel like I knew why every design choice felt a certain way (me being a non-artist was amazing to watch and understand). I really feel like I have a far more concreate understanding of the reasoning behind artistic choices, beyond vague and abstract notions. This video deserves way more attention, and please make more of these!!!
this video feels like a surgery - so detailed, dedicated and with a huge amount of love and effort put into it. This is my first time watching your videos and I think I have experienced the pure happiness in finding something that's truly precious and one of a kind. :)
i genuinely love this video so much, i find myself coming back to it time and time again, it fills me artistically
This is amazing! The animation left me speechless, I wasn't ready for it! I think the scope of the video fits pefectly with what you did with your channel 'til now, all your video always have "breath" to them and never feel to condensed or heavy, so it would be interesting to see more longer video if doable
I've been interested about french history and their fashion lately. This is really amazing to see
Lemoncholy, you haven’t posted in years, but gosh. Your videos are excellent. Your voice, music, writing, and graphics tie together so nicely, like its own frilly ribbon. Thanks for bringing such a lovely piece of media into the world.
I love love this style of video. It's so calming and all of the art was just lovely
“You either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become a villain.” - Something I heard.
One of my favourite quotes ever actually...
that was barrack obama dude
am I like the only one to see references to Dream SMP hehe? 🤠
@@siregne4343 Yes. No one here is referencing the Dream SMP. The quote was said by Harvey Dent in The Dark Knight.
@@siregne4343
The quote isn't from dream smp, so yes. You're the only one
This video is informative, understandable, aesthetically pleasing and organized. Finding such a gem is rare on RUclips these days. Thank you!
The amount of research and attention to detail in this video was amazing! Loved watching and listening to your though process
i always drop whatever i'm doing to watch your videos! i absolutely adore how thorough your creation process is and how you excellently edit your videos (with the perfect choice of music and presentation). every time i watch your videos, i get a boost of inspiration and a reminder of why i love art so much
Love this Comment ^^
This has become one of my favorite videos on RUclips, sometimes i am looking for inspiration or just energy to continue drawing, and this video is the answer most of the time, how you can portray character and illustration creation so beautifully, the music, your voice. Everything is so well-made and interesting, constantly waiting for your next upload. Good luck and thank you so much
As an artist, lover of history, and someone who absolutely adores seeing peoples' processes of creation, this was so so so enjoyable to watch. I love how you integrated history with art because this was such an amazing presentation. The designs are wonderful and you have a really beautiful art style. I wouldn't be surprised if you became an art teacher. You're so good at explaining things in detail!
It's safe to say this is one of the most original and entertaining educational videos on a historical person, fashion and art. As an art historian and a cultural anthropologist I believe this way of presenting and educating to be the future! The whole secret of transmitting knowledge about the past is being able to do it through a modern medium and current understanding which you did perfectly. Please consider making more videos like this one, I am a 100% sure you're onto something...revolutionary! 😉
Pleasantly surprised to see Rose of Versailles, Innocent, and Takarazuka Revue mentioned at the end 🙏🙏🙏
Your videos are always a joy to watch- beautifully illustrated, beautifully explained and beautifully presented. The way you stylised your character designs has made me want to research the fashions of this era more! I love how you made three versions to fully explore his character. And that animation at the end took me completely by surprise- I had to rewind and rewatch it several times to appreciate it. The work you put into these videos is so clear in the final product. I enjoyed every minute and I'd be delighted to watch more videos like this if you made them!
This video was so stunning to watch and felt so informative and well researched! I am absolutely floored by how much thought and detail you put into your character analysis, and the results are not only beautiful but also so full of life. I would really love to see more of this style of video in the future, I think you did a really fantastic job with it!
I need more of this type of video. history and art at the same time??? hell yeah
the details in this ; the research, the editing, the ART, its everything i've ever wanted in a video, i'm- 💖💖💖
i’m completely obsessed with this entire video. the style of presenting, the editing, the script, the art.. obsessed!
oh my god. i can’t believe i haven’t seen this sooner. i used to get this video in my recommendations all the time, but then i wasn’t sure why i did, because it was neither particularly new or relevant to my watch history. i just remember thinking it seemed amazing. now i’ve gotten into the french revolution, particularly the terror, through a different vein, and i sometimes listen to youtube documentaries or informational videos for background noise. i constantly slandered and complained about their bias, inaccuracies, how they were so adamant about slandering and lying about history and its people despite talking about about how they violated humanity.
then i remembered this video. it’s so, so good. and i knew this artist! i love them too. it gives, though of course biased for bias can never be rid, an honest and loving explanation of history. it cares for truth and beauty over following some reactionary status quo. i love this video. thank you so much.
I've lost track of how many times I've rewatched this
This is just such an entertaining and informative video! And the art is some of the most aesthetically pleasing I've seen
You've merged two of my favorite topics(character design and history) in the best way possible and have also made me, a young artist who also enjoys drawing historical figures, alot more confident to take artistic liberties in how I draw them
Both you and Janelle are talented as hell and I hope you could make similar content in the future
This format was very fit to present these more academic disciplines. You did a wonderful job, alterning outside elements with your drawings and changing very frequently the type of presentation (i dunno how to call it) made it very appealing and never boring!
It's always so good to watch your videos, thanks for the effort. ❤️
This video keeps on going on my FYP page no matter what. It's been like this for months on end, on every device. RUclips keeps recommending this video, and only now am i actually going to watch it.
This is an incredible video. This feels like an extremely unique and well done interpretation of the video essay sphere of RUclips, combined with art and animation.
Beautiful video: informative, calming, aesthetically pleasing… it’s like an art student’s notebook came to life!
Je suis française et je dois avouer que la mode de cette epoque est magnifique. Ton style de dessin va bien avec l'univers 😊🇫🇷
I can't remember the last time i sat through an entire youtube video without scrolling the comments or looking for something else. I want more!!
you're style is so impressive, i'm literally mesmerized
As someone who just had to do a presentation abt art and the French revolution I wanna say It was the best time I had while learning abt what happened then..I really enjoyed reading many documents so I can gather many informations to tell my other classmates ❤
Please do one of these on Greek mythology. I found your style of presenting and talking about these topics so captivating and interesting even though before clicking on this video I was unsure as I’m not bothered about history at all but having information presented to me in this way, it makes me look forward to learning
without a doubt one of my new favorite videos of yours. everything about the way you present the art, information, and process is astounding. i'm only part of the audience and yet i feel engaged just watching. you and janelle did an amazing job with this, and i'm so glad for the collaboration because without it, i wouldn't have been introduced to their work. as always, i'll be coming back to your channel whenever i'm in search of inspiration. :)
oh my gosh I just gotta say that final animation blew my mind! I love how you presented the history as well as the art. The aesthetic and feel of the video was very comforting as well as not too distracting and easy to follow. I've seen this video on my recommended many times but I have put it off until now, and I am so glad I watched it now!
From a character design perspective, this was very enlightening. I feel inspired to do character designs after having been in a art block for a while ^^
Thank you so much for this video!
NOW, THIS! THIS is what the internet needs! Amazing content and wonderful way of presenting it. THANK you so much for the video, the inspiration, and the entertainment.
The animation at the ends was CLEAN . I paused and looked at each of the drawings