Column of Infantry on the March 1817-1818 (Lasteyrie) 1817 - 1818

Curator: This is Nicolas Toussaint Charlet's "Column of Infantry on the March," created between 1817 and 1818. It’s a print, roughly 25 by 36 centimeters, from the Harvard Art Museums collection. Editor: My first impression is one of somber determination. The stark monochrome emphasizes the weight of their duty, both physically with their gear and emotionally in their downcast faces. Curator: Charlet, deeply affected by the Napoleonic Wars, often depicted soldiers—not as glorious heroes, but as men burdened by conflict. This work reflects the shift in public sentiment post-Napoleonic era. Editor: Exactly. We see a clear depiction of the human cost of war, absent of romanticism. There’s an emphasis on the collective, too, which is critical, portraying shared identity, but it's all about shared burden. Curator: It invites us to consider the sociopolitical impact of militarism and the individual stories woven into the fabric of larger historical events. Editor: Yes, and for me, it is a poignant reminder of the experiences of ordinary people caught in the machinations of power.