Gallia Protects Bavaria

Gallia Protects Bavaria
Artist	Marianne Kürzinger
Year	1805
Type	Oil on canvas
Dimensions	71.5 cm × 58.5 cm (28.1 in × 23.0 in)
Location	Bavarian Palace Department, Munich

Gallia Protects Bavaria (German: Gallia schützt Bavaria) is an 1805 oil painting by the German artist Marianne Kürzinger.^[1] An allegory, it represents Bavaria the female symbol of the German land Bavaria being embraced and protected by the larger Gallia symbolising the France.^[2] It was produced in the context of the Treaty of Bogenhausen which allied the Elector of Bavaria to Napoleon's French Empire during the Napoleonic Wars. Bavaria would be elevated to a kingdom and gain territory at the expense of Austria. Eight years later Bavaria would notably changed sides shortly before the decisive Battle of Leipzig. Kürzinger was a Munich-based history painter. She depicts Gallia wearing the helmet of Athena and carries a shield bearing Napoleon's monogram while Bavaria wears the traditional blue and white colours.^[3]

References

1. Henker p.397
2. Schmid & Weigand p.262-63
3. https://www.hdbg.de/bup/d/d0806.htm#:~:text=Gallia%20sch%C3%BCtzt%20Bavaria&text=Bayern%20fl%C3%BCchtete%20sich%20in%20die,der%20%22wehrhaften%20Gallia%22%20trieb.

Bibliography

• Henker, Michael. Bavaria, Germania, Europa. Pustet, 2000.
• Schmid, Alois & Weigand, Katharina. Bayern mitten in Europa: von Frühmittelalter bis ins 20. Jahrhundert. C.H.Beck, 2005.