Commemorating the Election of Marie Francois Sadi Carnot as President of the French Republic 1887

Editor: This is a bronze commemorative medal created by Jules-Clément Chaplain in 1887. It marks the election of Marie François Sadi Carnot as President of the French Republic. I’m struck by how the two sides work together; it’s not just a portrait. What do you see when you look at it? Curator: I'm fascinated by how this medal encapsulates the aspirations and ideals of the French Republic. Notice the fasces, a Roman symbol of power and authority, flanking the open book, likely representing the French constitution. This isn't merely decoration; it speaks to the enduring legacy and values the Republic wished to project. It’s carefully considered, embedding the image with multiple layers of significance. Editor: The open book seems so fragile amidst those stronger symbols. What does that juxtaposition convey? Curator: Perhaps the fragility is the point. Republican ideals, even enshrined in law, require constant vigilance and protection. Consider how the portrait of Carnot looks to the future, almost gazing towards the radiant burst above the constitution, an almost hopeful gesture. But, in representing ideals of Liberty, is there something hearkening back to a pre-revolutionary symbolism? Editor: That's a clever reading. I hadn’t thought about the Roman elements as potentially reaching back, rather than forging forward. I appreciate the complexity in what I initially saw as a straightforward commemorative piece. Curator: Absolutely, the image's potency derives from its ability to compress layers of cultural memory and ambition into a small, easily disseminated object. Each time it’s held or viewed, it reinforces that connection to a particular moment, a political ideal. A single symbolic gesture contains history and aspiration simultaneously. Editor: I’ll definitely look at medals differently now, understanding how much cultural information they carry. Thank you.