Papier met handschrift waarin overblijfselen van het paradebed en lijkkleed van Napoleon I worden bewaard 1821

This small package, of unknown date and authorship, is made of paper and ink. It contains remnants of Napoleon I's parade bed and shroud. The paper itself, now yellowed and brittle, speaks of a time before mass production, when such material was precious. Note the handwritten inscription, penned with a practiced hand, a testament to the importance of literacy and record-keeping. We can only imagine the skilled labor that went into manufacturing the textiles. Preserved here as relics, these fragments of cloth transform into symbols of power, death, and memory. Consider the social context: the reverence for Napoleon, a figure who rose through meritocracy to dominate Europe. The preservation of his belongings hints at the human desire to touch history, to possess a tangible link to greatness. It is a humble package, yet it carries immense cultural weight, reminding us that even the simplest materials can be imbued with extraordinary significance.