From Destruction To Protection:the Study Of National Heritage Policy Since The French Revolution(1789-1848)

As an significant word in France,the patrbimoine shows an inseparable link between past and present;besides,it is a comprehensive concept that includes most physically or immaterial things.In France,architectural heritage is typical.From the 18th century until the 19th century,the French government changed its attitude towards the policy of architectural heritage which closely related to political environment and historical background.This article commences from the diversion of heritage concept,the formation of heritage policy and the activity of heritage protection.Through these three points,the text analyzed the origin,process and influences of French heritage policy during this period.In the first section,it shows the close relationship between the changes of heritage policy and the turn of heritage notion.Before the French Revolution,the value of heritage was connected with hierarchy,which showed the characteristic of private.However,the Revolution broke the hierarchy and nationalized the architectural heritage,which means that the owner of the heritage changed from the privileged class to the newborn national state.This change of heritage ownership created the notion of national heritage.In the early 19th century,as romantic movement started,the intelligentsia found that architectural heritage had its sentimental value because it could restore the national memory.The transformation above is the foundation of national heritage policy.In the second section,it elucidates a demanding and meandering course of the French national heritage policy which under the influence of turbulent political scene after the French Revolution.During this period,though the concept of national heritage was created,it was regrettable that some radical revolutionaries treated the architectural heritage as the symbol of The Old Regime.Therefore,it was under well-organized destruction,especially a period of terror.Fortunately,The Thermidor Reaction gave an end of Jacobins,so the politicians started protect the architectural heritage under the context of nation.Owning to Guizot and others contribution,the French national heritage policy was continuously perfected and finished its transition from destruction to protection until July Monarchy.The third section introduces the dialectical relationship between the formation of heritage policy and the activity of heritage protection that the former prepares conditions for the later and the later measures success of the former.During the July Monarchy,under push of Guizot and other politicians,the French government started to conserve the heritage through a series of methods.For example,the scheme worked out by Merimee was an adaptation to local conditions.Moreover,Viollet-le-Duc's Stylized Restoration theory using the idea of restoring the old as the old as the guidance of restoration of the heritage.In consideration of space and representativeness,this chapter selects two famous heritages of The Old Regime—Notre-Dame de Paris and the Versailles-as the case to be discussed.In the conclusion part,this artlicle combined the Memory Theory of Assmann,Halbwachs and Nora at together to explain that architectural heritage should be part of historical memory.Under this condition,the French national heritage policy at the end of the 18th and the beginning of the 19th century is regraded as a method to shape collective memory and strengthen nation's cohesion.To summarize the text and emphasize the core point,this article starts with the transition of the national heritage policy from the French Revolution,then analyses with detail,and finally reinforce the understanding of French politics and changes in social thoughts during that period.