Karl Marx, drawing upon Hegel’s words, remarked that major global histories and figures reoccur, once as a calamity and the second as a mockery. Marx’s sentiments were echoed during the French Revolution’s portrayal at the Paris Olympics opening ceremony, a spectacle that might have exceeded even Marx’s expectations of farce. Depictions of Marie Antoinette, doused in crimson and holding singing decapitated heads, were abundant. Concurrently, a rock group and an opera singer performed renditions of Ca Ira, a melody linked to the French Revolution.
Marie Antoinette, despite her lack of education, frivolousness and excessive affinity for fashion and performance, showcased commendable actions. She took in Jean Amilcar, a Senegalese slave gifted to her, established a residence for unwed mothers, and advocated for smallpox vaccinations, a prevalent life-threatening illness worldwide. Contrary to popular belief, she never advised the underprivileged masses to eat cake.
Christianity is at risk of being destabilised by supposed allies who see it merely as a strategic defence against perceived dangers.
Maria Antoinette was subjected to a relentless torrent of derogatory and often obscene propaganda throughout her life and beyond. Interestingly, in view of the LGBT+ presence in the Olympic’s launch ceremony, she was slandered with accusations of being a lesbian.
Before her execution, her son Louis Charles, just eight years old, was forcibly removed from her. He perished in jail at age 10, after being coerced into accusing her of incest during her sham trial. Instead of disputing the indictment, Antoinette revered the mothers in court.
Joe Duplantier, frontman of the notable heavy metal group, Gojira, featured in the Marie Antoinette portion. Speaking to Rolling Stone, he romanticised scenes of “decapitation, the overflowing red wine and blood”, deeming them regular and central to French allure. He opined that the French Revolution heralded laicité – the separation of church and state, thereby liberating expression and symbolism.
Despite Paris 2024 organisers affirming no disrespect was intended during the ‘Last Supper’ skit of the Olympic ceremony, the French Revolution was far from a golden age for French women. Olympe de Gouges, the Declaration of the Rights of Woman’s writer, faced the guillotine as a counterrevolutionary in 1793. The franchise for women only came about in France in 1948. Considering how Thomas Jolly, the ceremony’s creative director, showcased Marie Antoinette – one of history’s most controversially assassinated females – venturing into the argument of whether his tableau was mimicking the Last Supper or merely casting Dionysius as scantily clad Smurf might be pointless.
Leonardo’s iconic fresco has made multiple appearances in pop culture. In 2013, a Buzzfeed compilation listed 55 lampoons involving celebrities like Snoop Dogg and Doctor Who. A diverse, home-grown adaptation on Millennium Walk, commissioned by Mick Wallace, depicts Judas as a financier.
Thus, the concept of parodying this painting is hardly new or innovative; it’s a worn-out cliché. Parodies seldom attract a 29-million strong audience, but frequent satirical recreations speak to the painting’s allure. The captivating narrative of Jesus announcing his forthcoming betrayal, where each disciple’s varied reaction is shown, while Judas alone remains hidden from the light, is often irresistibly depicted.
There is a likelihood that the ceremony director made a playful allusion to the renowned artwork, then tried to convince us to doubt our own intuition.
However, some claimed Christian advocates, including Elon Musk who criticised the supposed parody, risk destabilising Christianity’s core principles by treating it more as a defence against perceived threats.
The presupposition of an entrenched battle between science and faith, particularly Christianity, is an inaccurate portrayal. Many have now started identifying as “culturally Christian”, with Elon Musk being a prominent example. Musk stated his strong belief in Christian principles in a discussion with Jordan Peterson, who was notably garbed in a loud jacket depicting Biblical figures Jesus and Mary. He voiced that he is a strong devotee of the “religion of curiosity, the religion of greater enlightenment”, and argued that religious beliefs are beneficial in boosting population growth.
The betrayal of Jesus Christ by one of His disciples is depicted in a significant scene. Each disciple’s reaction varies, with only Judas showing a withdrawn response, notably absent from the light.
In the New Atheist movement, a fading phenomenon, Richard Dawkins is a significant figure. Despite identifying as a cultural Christian, he expressed wishes of complete eradication of religious beliefs. Dawkins, while rejecting the legitimacy of Christianity’s truth claims, appreciates its poetic aspects, such as the prose of the King James Bible and the choral evensong in Anglican cathedrals. He appears to find Christianity a more palatable religion than Islam.
However, the emergence of cultural Christians, who appreciate the principles of Christianity but deny its essential truths, poses a threat more significant than any distorted representation of important Christian events. Christian belief that has been watered down and valued only for its morals stands as little chance for survival as unfortunate Marie Antoinette once imprisoned in the Conciergerie.