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Civic Pride in Uniform: Handcolored Print of a Garde Civique Officer, Plate 33, 1862
This vibrant handcolored lithograph, Civic Pride in Uniform, is Plate 33 from the 1862 second edition of Album ou Collection Complète, et Historique des Costumes de la Cour de Rome, illustrated by G. Perugini. It depicts an officer of the Garde Civique (Civic Guard), a ceremonial and protective force symbolizing the strength and pride of civic institutions in the Papal States.
The officer is adorned in a striking uniform featuring a navy blue jacket with golden epaulets and red accents, paired with crisp white trousers. His towering bearskin hat, complete with a red plume and golden detailing, adds grandeur and formality to his appearance. The officer holds a ceremonial sabre, underscoring both his role in maintaining order and his readiness to defend civic dignity.
The Garde Civique represented a blend of ceremonial pageantry and practical service. While primarily a symbol of civic pride, its members also provided a degree of law enforcement and public order during events and festivals. The intricate design of their uniforms reflects the importance of their presence within the hierarchy of the Papal States.
This lithograph showcases the elegance and historical significance of a Garde Civique officer’s attire, making it a fascinating addition for collectors of antique prints, military history, or ceremonial art. The detailed artistry and vivid coloring transport viewers to the rich traditions of 19th-century Rome.
**Introduction Text Translation:**
A powerful interest is attached to the name of Rome, an interest even greater in the name of Christ. Rome, through its genius, the vast intelligence of its warriors, orators, and legislators, prepared the cradle where Catholicism was born, grew, developed, and established itself. The history of Catholicism is the history of this great and glorious city among all others.
Virgil said in a truly prophetic verse: “To rule peoples, Roman, remember.” This prophecy received the most glorious, complete developments: all conspired for the glory of the eternal city—its history, its arts, monuments, and the religion from which everything starts and to which everything returns. Yet, no other city in the universe contains such a collection: from the monuments of Augustus' time to those of Sixtus V and Leo XII; from pagan temples to saints’ tombs and martyrs, all illustrate daily the majesty of Catholicism in its splendor.
It was natural to offer the public the tableau of the splendid costumes of the Pontiffs and great dignitaries, as well as those of the humble garments of religious congregations. This is what we retrace in this Album. Amid the religious costumes, we have also included military corps contributing to the harmony of ceremonies. These figures, drawn by the skilled artist G. Perugini, are accompanied by explanatory texts derived from the works of the learned Father Hélyot.
**Table of Costumes in English (selected for relevance):**
- The Pope in Grand Ceremony
- Cardinal in Choir Attire
- Bishop in Pontifical Costume
- Franciscan
- Capuchin Friar
- Jesuit
- Reformed Redemptorist
- Sister of Redemption (Plate 76)
- Religious Sister of Perpetual Adoration (Plate 77)
- Benedictine (Plate 78)
- Zocolette (Plate 79)
- Lateran Canoness (Plate 80)
- Senator and Pages (Plate 25)
- Secret Chamberlain (Plate 26)
- Caudataire (Plate 27)
- Capitoline Estafier (Plate 31)
- Noble Guard (Plate 32)
- Garde Civique Officer (Plate 33)
- Officer of the Line (Plate 34)
- Dean of Palfreniers (Plate 94)
This lithograph is a visually stunning tribute to the pride and ceremonial elegance of the Garde Civique, making it a must-have for collectors of historical prints and the pageantry of Rome’s civic and military traditions.
