Banknote France 1000 Francs - Demeter - 29-04-1943 - Serial W.5116

The 1,000 French franc banknote, known as 'Demeter and Hercules,' measures 190 × 115 mm and is distinguished by its rich iconography inspired by Greek mythology. On its front, a statue of Demeter is depicted seated on the right, holding the child Hercules on her lap. On the left, a Provençal landscape animated by a shepherd and his herd of goats evokes fertility and rural life. The inscriptions in the Latin alphabet read '1000 BANQVE DE FRANCE 1000' and 'MILLE FRANCS'.

This banknote was designed by Lucien Hector Jonas and engraved by Georges Hourriez, two renowned artists of the Banque de France.

The reverse features the statue of Mercury on the left, surrounded by various representations of the labors of Hercules. These include Cerberus, the dog of the Underworld, tamed by Hercules who hands Minerva the golden apples from the Garden of the Hesperides, while on the left, Deianira supports the World in place of Atlas. In the background, the port and city of Rouen complete this composition, which is both mythological and symbolic.