Napoléon I and Marie-Louise of Austria 1810

Editor: This artwork is a medallion of Napoléon I and Marie-Louise of Austria by Bertrand Andrieu. It's so small, almost like a coin. What can you tell me about its historical context? Curator: This piece speaks volumes about power, propaganda, and the construction of dynastic legitimacy. Consider Napoleon's strategic marriage to Marie-Louise. What does this alliance between France and Austria signify? Editor: It feels like a political move more than a love match? Curator: Exactly. The medallion presents them as equals, almost Roman deities, erasing the complex realities of their relationship and Napoleon's ambition. What does it mean to memorialize a political alliance in this way? Editor: It’s interesting how art can be used to smooth over uncomfortable truths about power and relationships. Curator: Precisely. It prompts us to question whose stories are told, and how, within these seemingly neutral historical objects.