Korporaal Valentin wandelt op een houten been 1837

Nicolas Toussaint Charlet made this lithograph, titled "Corporal Valentin Walking on a Wooden Leg", in France. It is undated. In the wake of the Napoleonic Wars, images of veterans were a common sight. Here, we see Valentin, a corporal who has lost a leg, seemingly enjoying a position of power or respect. The print's title includes the words “devenu puissant,” suggesting that Valentin has “become powerful,” perhaps as a result of his sacrifice. Charlet himself had served in the National Guard, and he became known for his sympathetic and often humorous depictions of soldiers. His work can be read as a reflection on the social and political consequences of war. He uses visual cues to create meaning such as the prominent placement of Valentin and the more discrete figure in the background who seems to be looking on with a kind of deference. Historians of art and culture can use resources like military records, newspapers, and popular songs, to better understand the social context in which such images were created and consumed.