Waterloo: June 18, 1815 1830

Editor: This is Auguste Raffet’s "Waterloo: June 18, 1815," housed at the Harvard Art Museums. It's a chaotic scene, a battle rendered in what looks like a print. What stands out to you about its production? Curator: The printmaking process itself is crucial. Think about the labor involved in creating multiple impressions, making it accessible to a wider audience, thus shaping the social narrative around the Napoleonic wars and the consumption of this imagery. Editor: So the medium informs how the message is received. Curator: Precisely. How does the mass production of this print democratize or perhaps manipulate perceptions of warfare and heroism? We should reflect on the means of production, the material, and its context. Editor: I see what you mean. Thank you! Curator: My pleasure.