Universal Exhibition of London, 1862 1862

This silver medal of the Universal Exhibition of London was created in 1862 by Jean-François-Antoine Bovy. The profile of Queen Victoria, adorned with a wreath, dominates the design. Consider this medal in the context of Victorian England, a period marked by rapid industrialization, colonialism, and rigid social hierarchies. The medal, while ostensibly celebrating progress, is also a carefully crafted symbol of imperial power. Queen Victoria, as the embodiment of the British Empire, was central to the construction of British national identity. How did gender influence perceptions of her authority? As a female monarch, Victoria had to negotiate complex social expectations, projecting both strength and feminine virtue. In a society deeply stratified by class, the medal served to reinforce the existing power structures. Who was the medal for, and what message did it convey to different segments of the population? Reflect on the emotional and personal dimensions of the piece. The medal prompts us to think about how power is symbolized and how identity is constructed within specific historical and cultural contexts.