New York State to Louisiana to Lieutenant-Colonel Bliss 1849

This bronze medal, created by Charles Cushing Wright in 1849, presents a low-relief profile of Lieutenant-Colonel Bliss. The circular format, with its raised inscription around the perimeter, neatly frames Bliss's stern visage. The composition is strikingly formal, with the profile rendered in meticulous detail. The artist uses the play of light and shadow to accentuate the planes of Bliss’s face. The clean lines and smooth surfaces suggest a sense of classical order, while the choice of bronze lends the medal an air of solemnity and timelessness. The inscription, carefully arranged, celebrates Bliss's "gallant services in Mexico", imbuing the medal with a sense of civic pride. This medal is not just a portrait, but a structured artifact that signifies the values of duty and honor. Through Wright’s formal choices, the artwork operates as a symbol of power, memory, and cultural identity. The medal invites us to consider how art functions as a site where personal achievements are transformed into symbols of collective importance.