The diplomatic emblem of France is an unofficial emblem of the
French Republic
France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
. It was adopted in 1913 by the
French Foreign Ministry as a symbol for use by
French diplomatic missions and consular posts abroad.
It was based on an earlier design by the sculptor
Jules-Clément Chaplain.
The emblem also appears on the cover of
French passports.
Description
The emblem consists of:
*A wide ''
pelte'' shield with, on the one end, a lion-head and, on the other end, an eagle-head. The shield bears the
monogram
A monogram is a motif (visual arts), motif made by overlapping or combining two or more letters or other graphemes to form one symbol. Monograms are often made by combining the initials of an individual or a company, used as recognizable symbo ...
'RF', which stands for (
French Republic
France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
).
*An
olive branch, which symbolises peace.
*An
oak branch, which symbolises
perennity or wisdom.
*The
fasces symbol, which is associated with the exercise of justice (the bundle of rods and an axe were carried by
lictors in
Ancient Rome
In modern historiography, ancient Rome is the Roman people, Roman civilisation from the founding of Rome, founding of the Italian city of Rome in the 8th century BC to the Fall of the Western Roman Empire, collapse of the Western Roman Em ...
) and the
republic
A republic, based on the Latin phrase ''res publica'' ('public affair' or 'people's affair'), is a State (polity), state in which Power (social and political), political power rests with the public (people), typically through their Representat ...
. This use of the fasces predates the adoption of this symbol by
Benito Mussolini
Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini (29 July 188328 April 1945) was an Italian politician and journalist who, upon assuming office as Prime Minister of Italy, Prime Minister, became the dictator of Fascist Italy from the March on Rome in 1922 un ...
as the emblem of
Italian Fascism
Italian fascism (), also called classical fascism and Fascism, is the original fascist ideology, which Giovanni Gentile and Benito Mussolini developed in Italy. The ideology of Italian fascism is associated with a series of political parties le ...
.
Usage
The emblem appears on plaques and signs at French diplomatic missions, as well as on the cover of French passports and some other documents. In addition, a variation of the emblem is used as a symbol of the
presidency of the French Republic.
File:COA France Prague 3029.JPG, Plaque at the French embassy in Prague
File:French Embassy (2821116967).jpg, Sign at the French embassy in Berlin
File:French Passport Cover.svg, French passport cover
File:Livret de famille français.jpg, French family register
See also
*
Armorial of France
*
National emblem of France
The coat of arms of France is an unofficial emblem of the French Republic. It depicts a lictor's fasces upon branches of laurel and oak, as well as a ribbon bearing the national motto of . The full achievement includes the star and grand coll ...
*
National symbols of France
National symbols of France are emblems of the France, French Republic and French people, and they are the cornerstone of the nation's republican tradition.
The national symbols of the French Fifth Republic are:
* The Flag of France, French flag ...
References
External links
{{Symbols of the French Republic
National symbols of France
Foreign relations of France