Known in history books simply as Charlotte Corday, this convent-educated woman single-handedly plotted and carried out the assassination of Jean-Paul Marat, a key member of the Jacobin faction during the French Revolution. Charlotte believed that by eliminating Marat the bloody mass executions in Paris would end.
Under the pretense of supplying names of enemies of the revolution, Charlotte was granted audience with Marat, who usually received visitors while he soaked in his bath on account of his skin disease. After a brief converstaion where Marat confirmed that he planned to have all his opponents guillotined, Charlot produced a kitchen knife from her bodice and stabbed him in the heart. He died almost instantly.
Charlotte made no attempt to conceal her crime and during her trial she insisted that what she did would bring peace to France. She was sentenced to death and bravely met the guillotine on July 17,1793. The Terror continued despite Marat's death, but Charlotte was considered a hero later on after the monarchy was restored.
ABOUT THE DOLL
Charlotte is a reworked vinyl doll that stands 12" tall and has hand-painted features. She wears a simple long gown made of grey suede. Around her shoulders is a pink silk shawl with lace trim, similar to the one she reportedly wore to visit Marat and then subsequently wore to her execution. A single pearl bead button is on the front.
Her head is attached to her hand, severed with a clean cut with bone and muscle showing in both ends.
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