Sjakoplaat voor sjako officier van het 124e regiment infanterie Hollanders, Franse keizerijk, ca. 1810-1812 c. 1810 - 1812

This is a hat plate for an officer of the 124th Infantry Regiment of Hollanders, within the French Empire, made around 1810-1812 by an unknown maker. The plate's structure is immediately striking, a juxtaposition of textures and forms that hint at its function and the era it represents. The soft, textured red felt provides a grounding field for the bolder metallic elements affixed to its surface. Note the contrast between the rigid, geometric shape of the plate itself, and the decorative metalwork depicting a stylized eagle, foliage and the number '124'. The eagle, an emblem of power and authority, appears above the regimental number. Consider how this arrangement might reflect the socio-political hierarchies of the Napoleonic era, where symbols of state and military prowess were carefully constructed to convey dominance and order. The way the materials are combined suggests a deliberate construction of identity. It's a visual manifestation of how belonging, status, and power were negotiated in this period. This plate is not merely decorative; it is a structured representation of identity, authority, and the intricate relationship between the individual and the imperial state.