The Tennis Court Oath
Auguste Trichon · Public Domain Mark 1.0 / domaine public
This engraving by Auguste Trichon, titled “The Tennis Court Oath,” depicts one of the founding moments of the French Revolution, on June 20, 1789. Gathered in the Tennis Court at Versailles, the deputies of the Third Estate swear not to separate until they have given France a constitution. The scene emphasizes collective momentum, the birth of national sovereignty, and the political assertion of an assembly confronting the Ancien Régime.