Sylvia
This article is about the fictitious female personification of Ariddia. There is also a book Sylvia by Ariddian author Keith Isaac, made into a successful film by Jane Ash, but there is no connection whatsoever with this Sylvia.
Sylvia is a personification of the nation of Ariddia, oft represented in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. She is usually shown partially nude, often holding fruit or some other symbol of nature, health and abundance.
History
Sylvia's precise origins are unknown. She may have been the figurehead of a settler ship which arrived in Ariddia in the late 1680s, during the early years of European colonisation. A small stone statue of her is known to have existed in Espérence by the early eighteenth century, referred to as "Sylvia", and by the middle of that century drawings of "Sylvia" were appearing in newspapers, both in satirical cartoons and to glorify the colony. By that point, she was recognisible as a symbol of the settlers' society as a whole.
Sylvia gained increased popularity once Ariddia became independent. More statues and portraits of her sprang up in the nineteenth century, and there was some talk of printing her face on the young republic's coins or banknotes, but this did not happen. Sylvia was never given official status as a symbol of Ariddia.
By the early twentieth century, her symbolism was in dispute among feminist intellectuals, some of whom considered her image degrading, while others wished to present her as an empowering figure for women. Still others dismissed this as a non-issue.
With the birth of the Social Republic, Sylvia was not entirely discarded from popular national imagery, but she still did not gain any official status. Today most Ariddians know her as an unofficial symbol of their country, and statues still exist, but she has faded somewhat to the back of citizens' minds.
It is unknown whether there was ever a real Sylvia, but it is considered unlikely. The name itself is generally taken to be a reference to the islands' thick, beautiful pristine forests - themselves a popular symbol of the country.
