Model for a bronze mount (chariot scene) c. 1808

"Model for a Bronze Mount (Chariot Scene)" was created by Pierre-Philippe Thomire, a prominent Parisian bronzier during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. This terracotta relief reflects the neoclassical fascination with ancient Greece and Rome, a style embraced by the French elite. Yet, consider the lives behind the aesthetics: the enslaved people who powered these empires, whose stories are often erased in favor of heroic narratives. The muscular figures and dynamic action may evoke a sense of power and glory, but they also raise questions about the cost of conquest. Thomire's skillful rendering of human and animal forms invites us to reflect on the social hierarchies of his time, and how they continue to influence our perceptions today. In its idealized vision of antiquity, this work both celebrates and obscures the complexities of history, challenging us to look beyond the surface and acknowledge the voices that have been historically marginalized.