Jean-Jacques Rousseau Wore Armenian Apparel

French writer, thinker and composer Jean-Jacques Rousseau preferred to wear Armenian clothes. In the painting from the public library of the University of Geneva Rousseau is captured in an Armenian costume.

Jean-Jacques Rousseau is buried in the commune of Ermenonville in northern France. For the first time the castle of Ermenonville was mentioned in 9th century when the monastery was founded by an Armenian priest named Irminjon.

Rousseau himself was a part of the ancient Armenian religious sect of Paulicians. It is worth noting that the symbol of the French Revolution was the Phrygian cap which was the sign of Hemshin Armenians as well.

French documentary film “Le manteau arménien de Jean-Jacques Rousseau” (“The Armenian coat of Jean-Jacques Rousseau”), released in July 2012, shows the modernity and relevance of the writer’s thought.

Source: Ara Mirzoyan