Cinq Franc


           The bill that I received was a 5 Franc note from the Banque de France, issued in 1943.   The front of the note depicts a Pyrenean shepherd against a landscape backdrop, mostly likely the Pyrenees mountains as indicated in the description and the French region surrounding them.
The shepherd’s face is very stern, and he looks like he has to work very long and very hard each day.  However, because of the combination of the countryside scenery and the idyllic image of a shepherd that most people have in relation to the pastoral tradition, the bill overall creates a very peaceful and hopeful impression.  To convey my own personal response, images such as the one depicted of serene countrysides and landscapes tend to make me forget about money and all of the stress that it brings, as people who live in these areas tend to be more isolated and self-sufficient, perhaps not quite as dependent upon money.
            The other side of the bill shows a woman of Agenais, a region in France during the Middle Ages that was controlled by both the English and the French at different points in history.  This side also contains images of nature, as flowers decorate the area around the woman.  The bill also contains a message at the bottom, reading: “Le contrefacteur sera puni des travaux forces a perpetuite.”  While I have not taken French in over a year, I believe this loosely translates to “the counterfeiter will be punished by forced labor forever,” which seems like a strict enough sentence to discourage this kind of crime!

-Bridget


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