Eerste steenlegging van het Grand Place te Lyon door Napoleon Bonaparte 1796

This bronze medal, crafted by Jean Marie Chavanne, commemorates Napoleon Bonaparte laying the first stone of the Grand Place in Lyon. A laurel wreath borders the inscription. The laurel, an emblem of triumph and immortality, was used in ancient Greece to crown victors and heroes. We see its recurrence in Roman art and literature, signifying military and imperial success. And here it is again, centuries later, adorning a medal celebrating Napoleon's civic achievement, not a military one. The wreath embodies more than simple victory, it speaks to a deeper, more atavistic desire for lasting recognition and power. This symbol reflects the cyclical nature of history, where symbols are resurrected, adapted, and invested with new layers of meaning, while still echoing primal human emotions and aspirations.