National_personification Knowpia

A national personification is an anthropomorphic personification of a state or the people(s) it inhabits. It may appear in political cartoons and propaganda.

Britannia arm-in-arm with Uncle Sam symbolizes the British-American alliance in World War I. The two animals, the Bald eagle and the Barbary lion, are also national personifications of the two countries.

Some personifications in the Western world often took the Latin name of the ancient Roman province. Examples of this type include Britannia, Germania, Hibernia, Hispania, Helvetia and Polonia.

Examples of personifications of the Goddess of Liberty include Marianne, the Statue of Liberty (Liberty Enlightening the World), and many examples of United States coinage. Another ancient model was Roma, a female deity who personified the city of Rome and his dominion over the territories of the Roman Empire.^[1]

Examples of representations of the everyman or citizenry in addition to the nation itself are Deutscher Michel, John Bull and Uncle Sam.^[2]

Gallery edit

Iudaea Capta, "Conquered Judaea", commemorative coin issued by the Roman emperor Vespasian (left) after the Jewish War
An early example of national personification in a gospel book dated 990: Sclavinia, Germania, Gallia, and Roma, bringing offerings to Emperor Otto III.
Italia und Germania (1828) by Johann Friedrich Overbeck.
In this Allegory depicting the 1576 Pacification of Ghent by Adriaen Pietersz van de Venne, the seated women represent a short-lived unity among the embattled provinces of what would become the present-day Belgium and Netherlands
1909 cartoon in Puck shows (clockwise) US, Germany, Britain, France and Japan engaged in naval race in a "no limit" game.
Columbia depicted in an American Committee for Relief in the Near East poster defending an Armenian woman beneath her flag.

Personifications by country or territory edit

Location	Personification	Animal used for the same purpose
Albania	Mother Albania	Double-headed eagle
Americas	Personification of the Americas	American alligator
Argentina	Allegory of the Republic, Gaucho
Armenia	Mother Armenia
Artsakh	Grandmother and Grandfather
Australia	Little Boy from Manly	Boxing kangaroo
Austria	Austria, Tyrolia (Tyrol)	Double-headed eagle
Bangladesh	Bangamata^[3]	Bengal tiger^[4]
Belgium	La Belgique, Manneken Pis^[5]^[6]	Brabantic Lion, Leo Belgicus
Bhutan		Thunder Dragon
Brazil	Efígie da República; the Bandeirante (São Paulo State and Minas Gerais); the "Tropeiro" (Minas Gerais); the Candango (Brasília); the Gaúcho (Rio Grande do Sul);
Bulgaria	Mother Bulgaria	Double-headed eagle
Cambodia	Preah Thong and Neang Neak
Canada	Mountie,^[7] Johnny Canuck,^[8] Le Vieux de '37 (Quebec), Canada Bereft (Vimy Memorial). Canada was often personified as a young woman in 19th and early 20th century editorial cartoons, called simply "Canada", "Miss Canada", or sometimes "Mother Canada".^[9]	Canadian beaver
Chile	El Roto, Huaso, Doña Juanita	Condorito
China and Taiwan	Jade Emperor	Chinese dragon, Snow Lion (Tibet)
Colombia	Juan Valdez
Croatia	Mother Croatia
Czechia	Čechie, Czech Vašek, Honza, Svejk.	Czech lion
Denmark	Holger Danske, Mother Denmark
Dominican Republic	Conchoprimo
Egypt	Mother of the World	Sphinx
El Salvador	Salvador del Mundo
Europe	Europa or Europa regina
Finland	Finnish Maiden	Finnish lion
France	Marianne	Gallic rooster
Georgia	Mother of a Georgian
Germany	Germania, Deutscher Michel, Bavaria (Bavaria), Berolina (Berlin), Brema (Bremen), Brunonia (Brunswick Land), Franconia (Franconia), Francofurtia (Frankfurt), Hammonia (Hamburg), Lubeca (Lübeck), Borussia (Prussia), Palatia (Rhineland-Palatinate), Saxonia (Saxony), Vimaria (Weimar), Württembergia (Württemberg)	Reichsadler, Bundesadler, Berliner Bär (Berlin), Bavarian Lion (Bavaria), Marcher Eagle (Brandenburg), Prussian Eagle (Prussia)
Greece	Hellas
Haiti	Ezili Dantor, Katrin
Hawaiian Kingdom	Kamehameha the Great	Humpback whale
Hungary	The Lady of Hungaria	Turul
Iceland	The Lady of the Mountains
India	Bharat Mata	Bengal tiger, Asiatic lion, Indian Elephant, Indian peafowl
Indonesia	Ibu Pertiwi	Garuda Pancasila
Iran, Afghanistan and Tajikistan	Rostam^[10]^[11]^[12]	Lion and sun
Ireland	Ériu, Banba, Fódla, Kathleen Ni Houlihan, Hibernia, The Old Woman of Beare^[13]
Israel	Srulik
Italy	Italia turrita, Roma (Roman Empire)	Italian wolf,^[14]^[15] Lion of Saint Mark (Venice)^[16]
Japan	Amaterasu, Emperor Jimmu^[17]	Green Pheasant, Koi
Kazakhstan	Altin Adam
Kenya	Wanjiku
Korea ( North Korea and South Korea - despite mutual enmity, both states lay claim to the same historical heritage)	Dangun, Ungnyeo, Hwanung	Korean Tiger, Chollima
Kyrgyzstan	Manas
Latvia	Milda
Lebanon	Abu Abed
Lithuania	Lietuva
Low Lands or Benelux (Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg)		Leo Belgicus
Malaysia	Hang Tuah^[18]^[19]	Malayan tiger^[20]
Malta	Melita
Mexico	Mexican Motherland, La China Poblana	Golden eagle
Mongolia	Genghis Khan
Montenegro	Fairy of Lovćen, Mother Montenegro
Morocco		Barbary Lion
Netherlands	Dutch Maiden	Dutch Republic Lion, Leo Hollandicus, Leo Belgicus
Nepal	Gurkha, Sherpa	Yeti^[21]
New Zealand	Zealandia,^[22] Southern man (South Island)^[23]	Kiwi
Nicaragua	El Güegüense	Motmot
North Macedonia	Mother Macedonia^[24]^[25]	Lioness
Norway	Mother Norway, Ola & Kari Nordmann, Nór
Palestine	Handala
Peru	Peruvian Motherland	Vicuña
Philippines	La Madre Filipinas, Juan dela Cruz	Philippine Carabao
Poland	Polonia	White eagle
Portugal	Zé Povinho, Efígie da República, Guardian Angel of Portugal	Rooster of Barcelos
Puerto Rico	Jíbaro	Coquí
Republic of Texas	The Spirit of Sacrifice	Longhorn
Romania	România	Lynx
Russia	Mother Russia, General Winter	Russian bear
San Marino	Liberty, Saint Marinus
Serbia	Mother Serbia	Serbian eagle
Singapore		Merlion
Slovakia	Jánošík
Slovenia	Kralj Matjaž
South Africa	The Lady of Good Hope	Springbok
Spain	Hispania, Breogán (Galicia)	Hispanic Lion
Sri Lanka	Sri Lanka Matha (Mother Sri Lanka)
Suriname	Mama Sranan (Mother Suriname), a 1965 sculpture by Jozeph Klas in the center of Paramaribo, of a mother figure holding five children representing Suriname's ethnic groups in her arms.^[26]
Sweden	Mother Svea (Moder Svea)
Switzerland	Helvetia, Basilea (Basel), Berna (Bern), Geneva (Geneva), Tigurina Virgo (Zürich), Lucerna (Lucerne)	Cow^[27]
Thailand	Siam Devadhiraj	White elephant
Ukraine	Cossack Mamay	Ruthenian Lion
United Kingdom	Britannia, John Bull, Dame Wales (Wales), Scota (Scotland)	Bulldog, The Lion and the Unicorn (England and Scotland), Welsh dragon (Wales)
United States	Columbia, Lady Liberty, Lady Justice, Uncle Sam (federal government), Billy Yank (The North, obsolete), Johnny Reb (The South, obsolete), Brother Jonathan (New England, obsolete)	Bald Eagle, American Buffalo, Timber rattlesnake (American Revolution, obsolete)
Uruguay	Efigie de la República
Vermont Republic	The Green Mountaineers
Vietnam	Lạc Long Quân, Âu Cơ, The Four Immortals	Vietnamese Dragon, Lạc Bird

References edit

^ "Il Tempio di Venere e Roma" (in Italian). Retrieved 12 September 2023.
^ Eric Hobsbawm, "Mass-Producing Traditions: Europe, 1870-1914," in Eric Hobsbawm and Terence Ranger, eds., The Invention of Tradition (Cambridge, 1983), 263-307.
^ Ahmed, Salahuddin (2004). Bangladesh: Past and Present. APH Publishing. p. 310. ISBN 8176484695. Retrieved July 11, 2012.
^ "NATIONAL SYMBOLS". Bangladesh Tourism Board. Bangladesh: Ministry of Civil Aviation & Tourism. Archived from the original on 2016-12-28. Retrieved 2015-09-10.
^ Couvreur, Manuel; Deknop, Anne; Symons, Thérèse (2005). Manneken-Pis : Dans tous ses états. Historia Bruxellae (in French). Vol. 9. Brussels: Musées de la Ville de Bruxelles. ISBN 978-2-930423-01-2.
^ Emerson, Catherine (2015). Regarding Manneken Pis: Culture, Celebration and Conflict in Brussels. Leeds: Taylor & Francis Ltd. ISBN 978-1-909662-30-8.
^ McGill, Robert (2017). War Is Here: The Vietnam War and Canadian Literature. McGill-Queen's Press. p. 37. ISBN 9780773551589. Retrieved 17 May 2019.
^ Barber, Katherine (2007). Only in Canada You Say: A Treasury of Canadian Language. Oxford University Press Canada. p. 70. ISBN 9780195427073.
^ "Library and Archives Canada". Library and Archives Canada.
^ Hassanabadi, Mahmoud. "Rostam: A Complex Puzzle: A New Approach to the Identification of the Character of Rostam in the Iranian National Epos Shāhnāme".
^ Dallmayr, Fred (25 August 1999). Border Crossings: Toward a Comparative Political Theory. ISBN 9780739152546.
^ Heck, Isabel. "Le mythe de Siyâvosh: rapports entre l'épopée nationale de ferdowsi et des récits populaires en Iran (The myth of Siyâvosh: relationships between the national epic of Ferdowsi and popular stories in Iran)" (PDF) (in French). Retrieved 2024-02-08.
^ O'Rourke Murphy, M. & MacKillop, J. (2006). An Irish Literature Reader: Poetry, Prose, Drama.
^ Minahan, James B. (2009). The Complete Guide to National Symbols and Emblems. ABC-CLIO. p. 436. ISBN 9780313344978.
^ Blashfield, Jean F. (2009). Italy. Scholastic. p. 33. ISBN 9780531120996.
^ ""Saint Mark", Franciscan Media". Archived from the original on 8 October 2020. Retrieved 30 July 2018.
^ Yordan Zhelyazkov (February 12, 2021). "Amaterasu – Goddess, Mother and Queen". Symbolsage. Archived from the original on June 3, 2022. Retrieved August 15, 2022.
^ Liok Ee Tan (1988). The Rhetoric of Bangsa and Minzu. Monash Asia Institute. p. 14. ISBN 978-0-86746-909-7.
^ Melanie Chew (1999). The Presidential Notes: A biography of President Yusof bin Ishak. Singapore: SNP Publications. p. 78. ISBN 978-981-4032-48-3.
^ Minahan, James B. (2009). The Complete Guide to National Symbols and Emblems. Greenwood. p. 101. ISBN 978-0313344961.
^ Subba, Sanghamitra. "Love it or hate it, it's abominable".
^ Phillips, Jock. "South African War memorial, Waimate".
^ Dingwall, R. "Southern Man (Dunedin Airport)", Otago Sculpture Trust, 19 November 2011. Retrieved 14 July 2017.
^ A Manifesto from the Provisional Government of Macedonia, 1881, Our mother Macedonia became now as a widow, lonely and deserted by her sons. She does not fly the banner of the victorious Macedonian army
^ Bulgarian graphic representation of Bulgaria, East Rumelia and North Macedonia
^ "Kunstschatten: Mama Sranan - Parbode Magazine". Archived from the original on 2016-04-14. Retrieved 2016-03-30.
^ Valance, Marc. (Baden, 2013) Die Schweizer Kuh. Kult und Vermarktung eines nationalen Symbols, p. 6 ff.

External links edit

A scholarly case study of the evolution of Deutscher Michel
Kirsten Stirling: "The Image of the Nation as a Woman in Twentieth Century Scottish Literature"

[1] "Il Tempio di Venere e Roma" (in Italian). Retrieved 12 September 2023.

[2] Eric Hobsbawm, "Mass-Producing Traditions: Europe, 1870-1914," in Eric Hobsbawm and Terence Ranger, eds., The Invention of Tradition (Cambridge, 1983), 263-307.

[3] Ahmed, Salahuddin (2004). Bangladesh: Past and Present. APH Publishing. p. 310. ISBN 8176484695. Retrieved July 11, 2012.

[visitbangladesh.gov.bd2-4] "NATIONAL SYMBOLS". Bangladesh Tourism Board. Bangladesh: Ministry of Civil Aviation & Tourism. Archived from the original on 2016-12-28. Retrieved 2015-09-10.

[5] Couvreur, Manuel; Deknop, Anne; Symons, Thérèse (2005). Manneken-Pis : Dans tous ses états. Historia Bruxellae (in French). Vol. 9. Brussels: Musées de la Ville de Bruxelles. ISBN 978-2-930423-01-2.

[6] Emerson, Catherine (2015). Regarding Manneken Pis: Culture, Celebration and Conflict in Brussels. Leeds: Taylor & Francis Ltd. ISBN 978-1-909662-30-8.

[7] McGill, Robert (2017). War Is Here: The Vietnam War and Canadian Literature. McGill-Queen's Press. p. 37. ISBN 9780773551589. Retrieved 17 May 2019.

[8] Barber, Katherine (2007). Only in Canada You Say: A Treasury of Canadian Language. Oxford University Press Canada. p. 70. ISBN 9780195427073.

[9] "Library and Archives Canada". Library and Archives Canada.

[10] Hassanabadi, Mahmoud. "Rostam: A Complex Puzzle: A New Approach to the Identification of the Character of Rostam in the Iranian National Epos Shāhnāme".

[11] Dallmayr, Fred (25 August 1999). Border Crossings: Toward a Comparative Political Theory. ISBN 9780739152546.

[12] Heck, Isabel. "Le mythe de Siyâvosh: rapports entre l'épopée nationale de ferdowsi et des récits populaires en Iran (The myth of Siyâvosh: relationships between the national epic of Ferdowsi and popular stories in Iran)" (PDF) (in French). Retrieved 2024-02-08.

[13] O'Rourke Murphy, M. & MacKillop, J. (2006). An Irish Literature Reader: Poetry, Prose, Drama.

[14] Minahan, James B. (2009). The Complete Guide to National Symbols and Emblems. ABC-CLIO. p. 436. ISBN 9780313344978.

[15] Blashfield, Jean F. (2009). Italy. Scholastic. p. 33. ISBN 9780531120996.

[16] ""Saint Mark", Franciscan Media". Archived from the original on 8 October 2020. Retrieved 30 July 2018.

[ama-17] Yordan Zhelyazkov (February 12, 2021). "Amaterasu – Goddess, Mother and Queen". Symbolsage. Archived from the original on June 3, 2022. Retrieved August 15, 2022.

[18] Liok Ee Tan (1988). The Rhetoric of Bangsa and Minzu. Monash Asia Institute. p. 14. ISBN 978-0-86746-909-7.

[19] Melanie Chew (1999). The Presidential Notes: A biography of President Yusof bin Ishak. Singapore: SNP Publications. p. 78. ISBN 978-981-4032-48-3.

[20] Minahan, James B. (2009). The Complete Guide to National Symbols and Emblems. Greenwood. p. 101. ISBN 978-0313344961.

[21] Subba, Sanghamitra. "Love it or hate it, it's abominable".

[22] Phillips, Jock. "South African War memorial, Waimate".

[23] Dingwall, R. "Southern Man (Dunedin Airport)", Otago Sculpture Trust, 19 November 2011. Retrieved 14 July 2017.

[24] A Manifesto from the Provisional Government of Macedonia, 1881, Our mother Macedonia became now as a widow, lonely and deserted by her sons. She does not fly the banner of the victorious Macedonian army

[25] Bulgarian graphic representation of Bulgaria, East Rumelia and North Macedonia

[26] "Kunstschatten: Mama Sranan - Parbode Magazine". Archived from the original on 2016-04-14. Retrieved 2016-03-30.

[27] Valance, Marc. (Baden, 2013) Die Schweizer Kuh. Kult und Vermarktung eines nationalen Symbols, p. 6 ff.

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Summary

Gallery edit

Personifications by country or territory edit

See also edit

References edit

Further reading edit

External links edit