Wereldtentoonstelling in het Palais de l'Industrie te Parijs, ter ere van Napoleon III, keizer der Fransen 1855

Editor: Here we have a bronze relief from 1855 by Armand-Auguste Caqué, titled *Wereldtentoonstelling in het Palais de l'Industrie te Parijs, ter ere van Napoleon III, keizer der Fransen* – or, in English, *World Exhibition in the Palais de l'Industrie in Paris, in honour of Napoleon III, Emperor of the French*. It feels almost like a commemorative coin, you know? What's your read on this? Curator: A coin indeed... but far more grand, don't you think? Imagine it resting in the palm of your hand – the weight of history, the gleam of ambition. For me, it whispers of Napoleon III's vision for France. He wanted Paris to be *the* center of culture and innovation, a modern Rome, and this World's Fair, documented here, was key to his plan. Editor: That makes sense. I was also thinking of classical sculpture. Those figures on one side really resemble Greek goddesses. Curator: Exactly! It's fascinating how Caqué is tapping into classical ideals to legitimize Napoleon III's regime. The figure in the center, arms outstretched... could she be a personification of France, maybe even a deliberate echo of Liberty? Are those rays emanating from her head, like a sun-king figure, suggesting divine right? It's all so deliberately constructed. Editor: It feels like it’s saying, "See? We're just as impressive as the ancients, but, you know, *modern*!" It almost makes me laugh, that level of aspiration. Curator: (Chuckles) Aspiration bordering on self-deception, perhaps? But isn't that often the engine of progress? It’s more than decorative art, it’s propaganda cast in bronze. Editor: So, a little bit classical, a little bit industrial revolution... I think I'm seeing this piece with completely new eyes now! Curator: That's wonderful! The piece lives anew. A bit of ancient Greece meets a Napoleon…quite a fascinating date for history.