The Statue of Liberty Was Originally a Muslim Woman

[sheshe2]

The United States has debated immigration since the country’s founding, and the Statue of Liberty—a potent symbol for immigrants—is often invoked as an argument for why we should usher in those who seek safety and opportunity with open arms. A little-known fact about Lady Liberty adds an intriguing twist to today’s debate about refugees from the Muslim world: As pointed out by The Daily Beast’s Michael Daly in a recent op-ed, the statue itself was originally intended to represent a female Egyptian peasant as a Colossus of Rhodes for the Industrial Age.

That might be surprising to people more familiar with the statue’s French roots than its Arab ones. After all, the statue’s structure was designed by Alexandre-Gustave Eiffel (yes, that Eiffel), and Lady Liberty was given to the United States by France for its centennial to celebrate the alliance of the two countries formed during the French Revolution.

snip//

Edward Berenson, author of Statue of Liberty: A Translatlantic Story, writes that Bartholdi’s concept morphed from “a gigantic female fellah, or Arab peasant” into “a colossal goddess.” But Egypt, which had invested enormous amounts of time and money into the landmark canal, was not as eager about Bartholdi’s idea. Isma’il Pasha, the reigning khedive, rejected the plan as too costly.

Eventually, a 180-foot tall lighthouse was installed at Port Said instead. But Bartholdi was not discouraged. He eventually repurposed his concept into “Liberty Enlightening the World”—the official name for the statue that has been overlooking New York Harbor since 1886.




https://3chicspolitico.com/2016/06/29/wednesday-open-thread-the-statue-of-liberty-was-originally-a-muslim-woman/

Herstory.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. And off to the Greatest Page! n/t

[sheshe2]

2. Thanks Peggy.

[RickHworth]

3. Not to split hairs

I thought that the Statue of Liberty was actually modeled after an African that had become somewhat a bit Anglican with the sole purpose to be acceptable to the majority, complete with the chains about her feet.

[tblue37]

8. Egypt is in Africa. nt

[fleabiscuit]

12. LOL, there is that. nt

[tblue37]

16. Lady Liberty has the face for a Roman coin though, so she doesn't look Egyptian at all.

[Surya Gayatri]

27. An artist often seeks inspiration from several sources...this may have been the case with Bartholdi.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10027968251#post24

https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statue_de_la_Libert%C3%A9

[brer cat]

4. I'm going to have to drop this little tidbit

into a conversation with some anti-Muslim bigots I know. I think I will leave out the "originally" part and just leave it hanging that Lady Liberty is actually a Muslim woman and watch the heads explode.

What a nice find, sheshe!

[sheshe2]

5. Thanks, brer.

Bartholdi's early sketch
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, STATUE OF LIBERTY NM



https://www.nps.gov/stli/learn/historyculture/auguste-bartholdi.htm

*********************

I sure would like to me in the room when those heads explode.

[Albertoo]

15. Enjoy your fib

Suggesting a Muslim woman is a symbol of Liberty would be a feat of rhetoric.

Would you like me to link here all the world reports showing women in "Muslim" countries come out at the bottom of the women's rights rankings (civil liberties, business rights, even happiness index)

[Scootaloo]

20. You need a better hobby n/t

[Albertoo]

21. than politics?

[Motley13]

6. OMG, the xenophobes will want to deport her

[Svetulya]

7. not quite

Before I this I want to say I have lurked on DU for many many years.

It is an interesting site, 50% of it worth reading, the rest qualifies for Onion material. However, it is informative, and at times funny.

I am a history teacher (or was, I recently left the profession). I have heard this statement before, and it is not true at all.

The original statue was suppose to be of a Egyptian peasant woman, and that statue did not look like the one in NYC.


Bartholdi was fascinated by ancient Egypt, not by Islam at all. When the original statue project with Egypt fell thru due to lack f funds it was shelved.

Here's what Bartholdi had to say about it, "At that time my Statue of Liberty did not exist, even in my imagination, and the only resemblance between the drawing that I submitted to the Khedive and the statue now in New York's beautiful harbor is that both held a light aloft. Now how is a sculptor to make a statue which is to serve the purpose of a lighthouse without making it hold the light in the air?"

Also, the act that she is an uncovered woman, should tell you that no Muslim man from that time period would DARE put that out in public.

So, there a small grain of truth to the OP, but the sculpture himself tells us that was not true

[sheshe2]

9. If you follow the links,

you perhaps may learn more.

The original statue was suppose to be of a Egyptian peasant woman, and that statue did not look like the one in NYC.

You will also see the transition in the concept of the first and second statue.

Also, the act that she is an uncovered woman, should tell you that no Muslim man from that time period would DARE put that out in public.

Sorry, the artist was a Frenchman not a Muslim man. I am sure they had no say in what would be put out there.

Thanks for your comments, undocumented as they are.

[Press Virginia]

26. Egyptian Peasant doesn't mean Muslim woman

Doesn't mean it's not a possibility but it's not definitive

[smirkymonkey]

29. Right, she could have been a Coptic Christian.

You can't be sure. Only her nationality is know, not her religion.

[jberryhill]

28. It's not as if Egypt is or was populated solely by Muslims

[Svetulya]

10. take it up with Bartholdi

I quoted the man who made the SoL. if it is wrong take it up with him Also, the original buyer was the Ruler of Egypt, and he was a Muslim, and would have never agreed to put that out there.

Women holding Torches are not Arab/muslim A giant statue of a woman holding up a torch is not even an Egyptian symbol. It's a European one and owes its parentage to the Greeks. Islam frowns on statues and frowns even harder on representations of the female form.

The man who made the statue, tells you that there is almost nothing in common between the two, and you call him a liar...lol

[sheshe2]

11. Didn't read the links, huh?

The man who made the statue, tells you that there is almost nothing in common between the two, and you call him a liar...lol

Still no links?

First, the man did not tell me anything, he died in 1904. Second, I posted documentation with links and that shows I am calling him a liar?

Enjoy your stay.

[spanone]

13. k&R...

[Albertoo]

14. OP title is disconnected from the source

Bartholdi might have wanted to build a statue in Egypt, it doesn't follow he ever imagined a female fellah would represent anything about the US of the time.

Besides a female Arab Muslim could hardly be considered a symbol of liberty. Go and check what the local imams have to say about women's rights. Lady Liberty would disagree.

[cherokeeprogressive]

17. Seems like a bit of a stretch to me...

From your links:

"Bartholdi’s concept morphed"

"a robe-clad woman representing Egypt"

"He eventually repurposed his concept"

"originally conceived as a Muslim peasant woman"

"drawings of the Muslim woman transformed to the personification of Liberty."

Seems to me no piece of metal was ever hammered into the shape of a Muslim woman because she never made it off the paper the original drawings were on.

[FailureToCommunicate]

18. So, Bartholdi's mother was Muslim? We were just visiting the statue recently and there is plenty of

historical bits on display, but they say nothing about any Muslim connection, just that he fashioned the likeness after his mother.

This seems like one of those things that would be neat if it were true, and we'd like it to be true... but it just isn't really true.

Anyway, it's certainly interesting to contemplate, given the current xenophobic political climate.

[tavernier]

19. Stop.

I take this VERY Personally! I was four years old when my family was kicked out of Latvia and boarded a ship to the USA. I still remember looking at her from the bow of our ship, and being told that she was the kind lady who was welcoming us to her country.

I've returned several times to recapture the feeling of warmth and safety that I felt on that first day, despite the hardships that I and other immigrants endured once on shore.

Lady Liberty is both generic and apolitical, both to me and to millions wo came before and after me, regardless of who she was modeled after.

[FrodosPet]

22. It is ironic that statues are haraam in Islam

https://islamqa.info/en/7222

Prohibition of images and erecting statues, and the effect this has on ‘aqeedah

General Supervisor: Shaykh Muhammad Saalih al-Munajjid

I am having difficulties explaining to a muslim that erecting a non-muslim statute is haram. His response was this woman was a heroine and fought the muslims to defend her land, and she is my ancester before islamization.. Can a muslim idolize a statute, or erect one in memory of a hero?, even if the hero and/or heroine was not a muslim?


Praise be to Allaah.

Firstly, it may be understood from your question that what is to be denounced is the fact that the statue is of a kaafir, and that if it was a statue of a Muslim it would be permissible to erect it. This is a mistake, because all statues of animate beings are equally haraam, regardless of whether they are made in the images of a Muslim or a kaafir. Indeed, making a statue of a kaafir is worse, because it combines two evils, that of making the statue and that of glorifying this kaafir.

There follow details of the prohibition on the making of images and statues.

I. The prohibition on statues is not just the matter of fiqh; it goes beyond that to the matter of ‘aqeedah, because Allaah is the Only One Who has the power of giving shape to His creation and creating them in the best image. Making images implies that one is trying to match the creation of Allaah. The matter also has to do with ‘aqeedah when these images are taken as idols which are worshipped instead of Allaah.

~ snip ~

Our companions and other scholars said: making images of animate beings is extremely haraam and is a major sin, because severe warnings have been issued against it in the ahaadeeth. Whether the image is made to be used in a disrespectful fashion or for other purposes, it is haraam to make it in all cases, because it implies that one is trying to match the creation of Allaah, whether the image is to appear on a garment, carpet, coin, vessel, wall or whatever. With regard to pictures of trees, camel saddles, and other pictures in which no animate beings appear, these are not haraam. This is the ruling on making images. (Sharh Muslim, 14/81).

~ snip ~

[Surya Gayatri]

24. This lady may also have served as a muse and model for Bartholdi's creation...especially the face.

Isabella Eugenie Boyer (1841-1904)
(wife of the millionaire inventor, Isaac Merritt Singer, may have served as a model for the Statue of Liberty.)

There does seem to be some resemblance around the mouth and chin line.



https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statue_de_la_Libert%C3%A9

[sheshe2]

31. Love that portrait, Surya.

You are right, there is a definite resemblance. Thanks for additional history and the French link to wiki. It's been years since I studied French.

[Surya Gayatri]

25. The Smithsonian had an similar article in their on-line magazine

that I posted some time ago. Sadly, the anti-muslim reaction then was just as pronounced as in this thread.

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/statue-liberty-was-originally-muslim-woman-180957377/?no-ist

The Statue of Liberty Was Originally a Muslim Woman

Lifting a light up: Frederic Auguste Bartholdi proposed a statue of an Arab peasant for the mouth of the Suez Canal, but the Egyptian government turned the idea down. Some experts believe he re-purposed the design for the Statue of Liberty

[FailureToCommunicate]

30. Huh? The reaction on this thread is not anti-muslim. If anything, it appears to be anti-bullsh*t.

[sheshe2]

32. She is magnificent , isn't she.

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/statue-liberty-was-originally-muslim-woman-180957377/?no-ist