In Memory of Dr. Leon-Athanase Gosselin, French Surgeon (1815–1887) 1888

This bronze plaquette, made by Louis-Oscar Roty, commemorates the life of the French surgeon, Dr. Leon-Athanase Gosselin, who passed in 1887. Here, the austere profile of Dr. Gosselin is framed by inscriptions noting his birth and death, and enumerating his many prestigious titles. What strikes me is the cap he wears. This head covering echoes the ancient *pileus*, or cap of liberty. In antiquity, this cap was worn by freed slaves, becoming a potent symbol of liberation. Observe how this motif resurfaces during the Renaissance and again during the French Revolution, adorning allegorical figures of Liberty. Even here, in this modern memorial, echoes of that ancient yearning for emancipation seem to linger. Perhaps, Dr. Gosselin, through his dedication to healing, was, in a way, liberating his patients from suffering. Such symbolism is never truly lost, but woven into the fabric of our collective memory, resurfacing in unexpected forms.