To Commemorate the Visit of the Tsar Nicholas II and the Tsarista to Paris in 1902 1902

Louis-Eugène Mouchon created this metal plaquette to commemorate the 1902 visit of Tsar Nicholas II and Tsarina Alexandra to Paris. This image embodies the politics of imagery, showing us how leaders use portraiture to project power and cultivate international relations. The profile view, the crown, and the inscription of her first name "Alexandra" create a symbolic representation of the Tsarina's status. Consider the context: this was a period of shifting alliances and diplomatic maneuvering in Europe. France, seeking to strengthen its position against Germany, courted Russia. Royal visits were important public displays of such alliances. Commemorative objects like this plaquette served as propaganda, reinforcing the importance of these events and the grandeur of the ruling families. Historical sources, like newspapers, diplomatic correspondence, and even fashion magazines, can reveal how the French public perceived this visit and the Tsarina herself. The meaning of this artwork is contingent on its complex social and institutional context.