Order of Arts and Letters
The Order of Arts and Letters (in French: L'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres) is a French decoration, instituted on 2nd May 1957 and is managed by the Ministry of Culture.
The reorganization of French decorations by General de Gaulle in 1963 did not affect the order. The council of the order includes 12 members (in particular directors of the general administration of the Ministry of Culture and the Museums of France) and 13 members named by the Minister.
The order rewards "the people who were characterized by their creations in the field artistic or literary or by the contribution which they made to the radiation of arts and the letters to France and in the world".
The Order of Arts and the Letters includes 3 ranks: Knight of Arts and Lettres, officer and commander. The 1st rank can be decreed only with artists some 30 year old at least and enjoying their civil laws.
The 2nd and higher ranks are allotted with the provison of having held the related lower ranks for a minimum of 5 years. Since the decree of the 5 May 1997, the annual quota rise with 450 knights, 140 officers and 50 commanders; it is thus a decoration relatively little distributed).
Insignia
The ribbon of the order 37 mm is broad, and composed of 5 dark bands green of 5,5 mm, separated by 4 white vertical lines from 2,4 mm (the officers have in addition to the ribbon a rivet washer and the commanders carry a tie in saltire).
The badge is a double cross vis-a-vis eight branches, enamelled of green and crimped of an arabesque silver plated or gilded for the officers and commanders, the latter having a badge larger.
The medallion includes a monogram of letters A and L.
See also
External link
- http://www.legiondhonneur.fr (english language selectable, Flash animation)
Categories: Civil decorations of France