Behind the elegant portraits of Ranavalona III lies a story marked by exile, hardship, and humiliation. It is this lesser-known side of Madagascar’s last queen that historian Helihanta Rajaonarison unveiled yesterday during a conference organized by the Photography Museum, in collaboration with the Alliance Française of Antananarivo, held in Andavamamba.
Dedicated to the iconographic journey of Ranavalona III, the event explored the photographs, sculptures, postcards, and caricatures that have shaped her image over time. For the historian, these representations have often fostered an incomplete vision of the sovereign. “Behind these beautiful images lies deep distress,” she emphasized, recalling that the queen, deposed from her kingdom after exile, lived in poverty and endured harsh media judgment as well as numerous colonial caricatures.
Helihanta Rajaonarison explained that the most famous snapshots often show an elegant woman, traveling and posing, to the point of sometimes being compared to a fashion model. Yet, this image masks a much more painful reality.
“She suffered greatly from the loss of her kingdom,” she asserted. Some photographs, particularly those used for postcards or advertisements such as those for LU biscuits, were created because the former sovereign needed income. Other images were even taken without her consent.
The historian also highlighted a striking detail in this iconography: in official portraits as well as many photographs, Ranavalona III almost never smiles. “She is a sad queen,” she summarized, describing a woman who never officially had children, lived in destitution, and passed away young due to heart disease.
Through this conference, Helihanta Rajaonarison invited the public to look beyond appearances to rediscover the destiny of a queen whose images tell as much about her past grandeur as they do about the trials of her exile.
Cassie Ramiandrasoa
Captured & Published at: 2026-07-04 05:42:51 (Madagascar Local Time EAT)
Original Source: https://www.lexpress.mg/2026/07/conference-helihanta-rajaonarison.html