Battle of Milesimo, 1796 (First Italian Campaign) 1796

Curator: Gazing at this grid of medallions, my first impression is one of detached grandeur. Like frozen moments in a self-mythologizing dream. Editor: Indeed. What we’re seeing is a collection of medals from the Paris Mint, commemorating events of the First Italian Campaign in 1796. Each tiny circle, in a way, proclaims history. Curator: History packaged as decorative art. It feels both intimate and remote. The miniature scale allows you to hold power in the palm of your hand. That's an odd tension. The Battle of Milesimo becomes a shiny, pocket-sized souvenir. Editor: It's not just Milesimo; this selection covers numerous battles and allegorical representations of France's campaign. Each embossed image carries layers of symbolic weight, harking back to neoclassicism—the visual language of empire. Palm trees for victory, pyramids for distant lands… each one speaks volumes. Curator: So true. And in that visual language, is there a message that rises above the rest, maybe something particularly poignant from your perspective? Editor: For me, it's how they condense sprawling narratives into these limited spaces. Think of these medals as visual haikus: powerful, but distilled. They transformed raw experiences—violence, conquest, political upheaval—into enduring symbols, into carefully curated memory. The very act of mass-producing these medals suggests that the French Republic wanted every citizen to literally hold its triumphs. Curator: It is interesting how history and art can collide in a sphere no bigger than your thumb. A strange mix of ego and memorial. Makes you wonder what future generations will commemorate and how… perhaps NFTs that people actually want to collect? Editor: Perhaps! In any case, it's a compelling intersection of artistry and agenda—an intersection made miniature. Each piece sings its silent propaganda.