The image of Mary Stuart in the history of France and Scotland: a diachronic aspect

Abstract

This article presents a diachronic analysis of the evolution of Mary Stuart's image in French and Scottish cultural spaces, employing the theoretical framework of cultural memory developed by Jan and Aleida Assmann. The primary objective is to identify the mechanisms through which a historical figure transforms from a subject of communicative memory into a resilient symbol of cultural memory, and to determine the specifics of this image's functioning in the contemporary context of historical commodification. The relevance of this study lies in the need to understand how national narratives construct identity through "figures of memory," adapting to shifting political and social demands. Drawing on materials from Renaissance and Romantic literature, the painting of the Clouet school, and modern media products (cinema, fashion industry, gastronomic branding), the study traces the dynamics of the queen's perception. In the French tradition, Mary Stuart's image evolved from a political-dynastic symbol of the "Auld Alliance" to an aestheticized ideal of the "White Queen," cemented in the visual canon of François Clouet, and subsequently into a romantic myth of a victim of circumstance. In modern France, this image has undergone desacralization and transitioned into the status of passive memory ("archive"), functioning primarily as an element of tourist positioning for the Loire châteaux and as a brand in the luxury industry. Conversely, in the Scottish discourse, Mary's figure evolved from an object of religious rejection during the Reformation to a key symbol of national identity and sovereignty. Today, in Scotland, her image is actively utilized in the politics of memory as a marker of distinction from English hegemony. The research demonstrates the asynchrony of cultural memory in both countries: while for Scotland Mary Stuart remains an element of active functional memory, for France she has become part of the historical archive, devoid of acute political connotation but retaining high commercial appeal. The results confirm the thesis that the sustainability of a cultural image is ensured not by preserving its original meaning, but by its capacity for constant semiotic reloading and integration into contemporary consumption practices. This comparative perspective highlights how the same historical personality can serve diametrically opposite functions in the national identities of two interconnected cultures.

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