Medaille met portret van Claude-Emmanuel de Pastoret after 1836

Achille Collas created this engraving of Claude-Emmanuel de Pastoret’s portrait medal in the mid-19th century. France in the 1800s was a society in flux. The aristocracy of Pastoret's time enjoyed privilege based on lineage and were central figures in politics and culture. What does it mean to memorialize a man like Pastoret? Here we see a profile view, a traditional pose for commemorating figures of importance. Collas’s choice to reproduce this medal as an engraving democratizes the image, making it more accessible. Engravings allowed for mass production, circulating images widely. How does this reproduction affect our understanding of Pastoret's legacy? Consider the power dynamics at play: Pastoret, a figure of authority, immortalized through a medal, then further disseminated through print. Collas’s engraving invites us to reflect on who is remembered, how they’re remembered, and who has the power to shape these narratives. The image prompts us to question the values and structures of French society during this transformative period.